humble
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
Part or all of this page has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
[edit] Etymology
< Old French humble < Latin humilis (“‘low, slight, hence mean, humble’”) (cf. Greek χαμαλός (khamalos), “‘on the ground, low, trifling’”)) < humus (“‘the earth, ground’”), humi (“‘on the ground’”). See homage, and confer chameleon, humiliate.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
humble (comparative humbler, superlative humblest)
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Positive |
- Near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage.
- Thy humble nest built on the ground. -Cowley.
- Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; lowly; weak; modest.
- God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Jas. iv. 6.
- She should be humble who would please. -Prior.
- Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of our . . . religion we can never hope to be a happy nation. -Washington.
[edit] Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:humble
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
- 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.
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[edit] See also
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
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to humble (third-person singular simple present humbles, present participle humbling, simple past and past participle humbled)
- To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate.
- Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues have humbled to all strokes. -Shak.
- The genius which humbled six marshals of France. -Macaulay.
- To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to reduce the self-sufficiency of; to make meek and submissive; -- often used reflexively.
- Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you. 1 Pet. v. 6.
[edit] Derived terms
- humbler (agent noun)
[edit] Synonyms
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[edit] External links
- humble in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- humble in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
[edit] French
[edit] Etymology
From Latin humilis (“‘low, slight, hence mean, humble’”) (cf. Greek χαμαλός (khamalos), “‘on the ground, low, trifling’”)) < humus (“‘the earth, ground’”), humi (“‘on the ground’”).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
humble (epicene, plural humbles)
