honour

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Contents

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Anglo-Norman honour, honur, from Old French honor, from Latin honor. Displaced native Middle English menske (“honor, dignity among men”), from Old English mensk (“honor”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

honour (countable and uncountable; plural honours) (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK)

  1. Recognition of importance or spiritual value; respect.
    • 1902, Richard Francis Weymouth, Translation of the New Testament of the Bible, Book 60, 1 Peter 2:4:
      Come to Him, the ever-living Stone, rejected indeed by men as worthless, but in God's esteem chosen and held in honour.
  2. Favourable reputation; dignity; sense of self-worth.
    His honour is at stake.
    She swore on her honour.
  3. An objectification of praiseworthiness or respect; something that represents praiseworthiness or respect, such as an award given by the state to a citizen.
    Honours are normally awarded twice a year: on The Queen's Birthday in June and at the New Year.
  4. A privilege.
    I had the honour of dining with the ambassador.
  5. (heraldry) The centre point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon; also honour point.
  6. (card games) In bridge, an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit. In some other games, an ace, king, queen or jack.
  7. (golf) The right to play one's ball before one's opponent plays his.
  8. (in the plural) =honours degree: a university qualification of the highest rank.
    At university I took honours in modern history.

Translations[edit]

recognition of importance or spiritual value; respect
favourable reputation; dignity; sense of self-worth
objectification of praiseworthiness, respect
privilege
heraldry: centre point of the upper half of a coat of arms
card games: one of the most valuable cards
golf: right to play one's ball before one's opponent
university qualification of the highest rank

Verb[edit]

honour (third-person singular simple present honours, present participle honouring, simple past and past participle honoured)

  1. To think of highly, to respect highly, to recognise the importance or spiritual value of
    The freedom fighters will be forever remembered and honoured by the people.
  2. To confer an honour or privilege upon (someone).
    Ten members of the profession were honoured at the ceremony.
    The prince honoured me with an invitation to his birthday banquet.
  3. To conform with, obey (e.g. a treaty or promise)
    I trusted you, but you have not honoured your promise.
  4. To make payment in respect of (a cheque, banker's draft etc).
    I'm sorry Sir, but the bank did not honour your cheque.

Synonyms[edit]

Translations[edit]

think of, respect highly
confer honour on
to conform to, abide by, act in accordance with
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Derived terms[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Anglo-Norman honour

Noun[edit]

honour (plural honours)

  1. honour

Descendants[edit]

References[edit]

p. 1, Arthur; A Short Sketch of his Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century, Frederick Furnivall ed. EETS. Trübner & Co.: London. 1864.

Old French[edit]

Noun[edit]

honour m (oblique plural honours, nominative singular honours, nominative plural honour)

  1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of honur
    […] prierent au roi qe mesme le cont purroit estre restorez a ses noun et honour de marquys queux il avoit pardevant.
    […] prayed to the king that even the count could be restored to his name and his honour of marquee that he had before
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