shame
noun /ʃeɪm/
/ʃeɪm/
Idioms - a shame[singular] used to say that something is a cause for feeling sad or disappointed synonym pity
- She's retiring because of ill health, which is a great shame.
- What happened was a real shame.
- shame (that)… It's a shame that she wasn't here to see it.
- Shame they didn't think of that earlier.
- It’s a shame (that) you didn’t say something sooner.
- What a shame they couldn't come.
- shame about somebody/something It's a shame about Tim, isn't it?
- shame about somebody/something doing something It's a terrible shame about Stuart losing his job, isn't it?
- shame to do something It's a shame to see her wasting her talent like this.
- shame for somebody/something to do something It'd be a shame for us to give up now.
- It would be a crying shame (= a great shame) not to take them up on the offer.
- It seems such a shame to throw perfectly good food away.
Extra Examples- Shame they couldn't make it.
- It is a national shame that our prisons serve as mental institutions.
- It would be a shame for all the work that has been done to be wasted.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- awful
- great
- real
- …
- shame about
- a bit of a shame
- rather a shame
- such a shame
- …
- [uncountable] the feelings of being sad, embarrassed or guilty that you have when you know that something you have done is wrong or stupid
- with shame His face burned with shame.
- They should blush with shame.
- in shame She hung her head in shame.
- shame of something The king preferred death to the shame of defeat.
- shame of doing something It took me a while to get over the shame of not doing something to help him.
- shame of somebody/something doing something He could not live with the shame of other people knowing the truth.
- shame at something I felt a twinge of shame at the thought.
- shame at doing something She admitted her shame at having a parent in prison.
- shame for doing something He was filled with shame for giving in to his anger.
- shame for something She expressed her shame for her role in the whole unfortunate business.
- I would die of shame if she ever found out.
- To my shame (= I feel shame that) I refused to listen to her side of the story.
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsb2- Do you feel no shame for what you've done?
- He had cried noisily and without shame at the news of Esther's death.
- Her pregnancy was no cause for shame.
- She felt a flush of shame at what she'd done.
- She wept from the shame of having let everyone down.
- This is the secret shame I have carried around for decades.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- secret
- public
- …
- be filled with
- feel
- bring
- …
- from shame
- in shame
- to your shame
- …
- bow your head in shame
- hang your head in shame
- a feeling of shame
- …
- [uncountable] (formal) (only used in questions and negative sentences) the ability to feel shame at something you have done
- Have you no shame?
- without shame That child is completely without shame!
- She has no sense of shame.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- secret
- public
- …
- be filled with
- feel
- bring
- …
- from shame
- in shame
- to your shame
- …
- bow your head in shame
- hang your head in shame
- a feeling of shame
- …
- [uncountable] the loss of respect that is caused when you do something wrong or stupid
- There is no shame in wanting to be successful.
- (formal) She felt that her failure would bring shame on her family.
- He risked public shame and possible imprisonment.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- secret
- public
- …
- be filled with
- feel
- bring
- …
- from shame
- in shame
- to your shame
- …
- bow your head in shame
- hang your head in shame
- a feeling of shame
- …
Word OriginOld English sc(e)amu (noun), sc(e)amian ‘feel shame’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schamen (verb) and German Scham (noun), schämen (verb).
Idioms
put somebody/something to shame
- to be much better than somebody/something
- Their presentation put ours to shame.
- Her energy and enthusiasm puts the rest of us to shame (= makes us feel embarrassed and guilty that we are not the same).
shame on you, him, etc.
- (informal) used to say that somebody should feel ashamed for something they have said or done
- Shame on you for doubting me!