disgrace

English

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disgrace

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle French disgracier.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪsˈɡɹeɪs/, /dɪzˈɡɹeɪs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪsˈɡɹeɪs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪs

Noun

disgrace (countable and uncountable, plural disgraces)

1. The condition of being out of favor; loss of favor, regard, or respect.
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 143:

     I heare / Macduffe liues in diſgrace. Sir, can you tell / Where he beſtowes himſelfe?

2. The state of being dishonored, or covered with shame.

   Synonyms: dishonor, ignominy

   Now she lives in disgrace.

3. (countable) Something which brings dishonor; the cause of reproach or shame; great discredit.

   His behaviour at the party was a total disgrace! He was leeching on all the ladies, and insulting the men.

   • 1853, Solomon Northup, chapter XIII, in [David Wilson], editor, Twelve Years a Slave. , London: Sampson Low, Son & Co.; Auburn, N.Y.: Derby and Miller, →OCLC, page 179:

     Practice and whipping were alike unavailing, and Epps, satisfied of it at last, swore I was a disgrace—that I was not fit to associate with a cotton-picking "nigger"—that I could not pick enough in a day to pay the trouble of weighing it, and that I should go into the cotton field no more.

4. (obsolete) An act of unkindness; a disfavor.
   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Ambition. XXXVI.”, in The Essayes , 3rd edition, London: Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 221:

     As for the pulling of them [ambitious men] downe, if the Affaires require it, and that it may not be done with ſafety ſuddainly, the onely Way is, the Enterchange, continually of Fauours, and Diſgraces, whereby they may not know, what to expect; And be, as it were, in a Wood.

Synonyms

• misgrace (far less common)

Related terms

• disgraceful
• disgraceless

Translations

Verb

disgrace (third-person singular simple present disgraces, present participle disgracing, simple past and past participle disgraced)

1. (transitive) To put someone out of favor; to bring shame or ignominy upon.

Translations

Further reading

• “disgrace”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “disgrace”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.