shame

I UK [ʃeɪm] / US noun **

1) [singular] a reason for feeling sad or disappointed

It seems a shame to waste all this food.

It was a shame that you couldn't come with us.

a great/crying/terrible shame:

It would have been a crying shame if we had lost the game.

shame about:

It was a nice idea. Shame about the way it was done.

2)

a) [uncountable] a guilty and embarrassed feeling that you have when you or someone else has behaved badly

He speaks about his affair without shame.

bow/hang your head in shame (= hold your head down and look away from people because you feel ashamed):

The people who let this happen should hang their heads in shame.

b) the ability to feel guilty or embarrassed when you or someone else behaves badly

Has he no shame?

3) [uncountable] loss of respect or a good reputation because of your own or someone else's bad behaviour or bad performance

They accused her of bringing shame and disgrace on the family.

There is no shame in failing.

to someone's shame:

To their shame, they were proved wrong.

•

(oh,) what a shame — spoken used for expressing sympathy or disappointment

She's resigned? Oh, what a shame.

put someone/something to shame — to make someone or something seem bad or less impressive by comparison

They're so efficient they put us to shame.

- shame on you

II UK [ʃeɪm] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "shame":
present tense I/you/we/they shame he/she/it shames present participle shaming past tense shamed past participle shamed

1) to make someone feel guilty or embarrassed

The behaviour of the fans has shamed the team.

2) to cause yourself or someone else to lose respect or a good reputation

Mum thought my divorce shamed the family.

3) to make someone or something seem bad or less impressive by comparison

The standards these workers have achieved shames our own efforts.

Phrasal verbs:

- shame into