humble
(redirected from humblest)Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
hum·ble
(hŭm′bəl)adj. hum·bler, hum·blest
1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
2. Showing deferential or submissive respect: a humble apology.
3. Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: a humble cottage.
tr.v. hum·bled, hum·bling, hum·bles
1. To cause to feel humble: "He was humbled by the lack of consolation in Kornblum's expression" (Michael Chabon).
2. To cause to have a lower condition or status; abase.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin humilis, low, lowly, from humus, ground; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots.]
hum′ble·ness n.
hum′bler n.
hum′bly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
humble
(ˈhʌmbəl)adj
1. conscious of one's failings
2. unpretentious; lowly: a humble cottage; my humble opinion.
3. deferential or servile
vb (tr)
4. to cause to become humble; humiliate
5. to lower in status
[C13: from Old French, from Latin humilis low, from humus the ground]
ˈhumbled adj
ˈhumbleness n
ˈhumbler n
ˈhumbling adj
ˈhumblingly adv
ˈhumbly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hum•ble
(ˈhʌm bəl, ˈʌm-)adj. -bler, -blest, adj.
1. not proud or arrogant; modest.
2. low in importance, status, or condition: a humble home.
3. courteously respectful: in my humble opinion.
4. insignificant; inferior; submissive: to feel humble in the presence of a great artist.
v.t. 5. to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase; mortify.
6. to destroy the independence or will of; subdue.
7. to make meek: to humble one's heart.
[1200–50; Middle English (h)umble < Old French < Latin humilis low, lowly, akin to humus ground]
hum′ble•ness, n.
hum′bler, n.
hum′bling•ly, adv.
hum′bly, adv.
syn: humble, degrade, humiliate suggest a lowering in self-respect or in the estimation of others. humble most often refers to a lowering of pride or arrogance, but may refer to a lessening of power or importance: humbled by failure; to humble an enemy. degrade literally means to demote in rank or standing, but commonly refers to a bringing into dishonor or contempt: You degrade yourself by cheating. To humiliate is to make another feel inadequate or unworthy, esp. in a public setting: humiliated by criticism.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
humble
Past participle: humbled
Gerund: humbling
| Imperative |
|---|
| humble |
| humble |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | humble - cause to be unpretentious; "This experience will humble him" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" efface - make inconspicuous; "efface oneself" |
| 2. |  humble - cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss"spite, bruise, injure, offend, hurt - hurt the feelings of; "She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests"; "This remark really bruised my ego" | |
| Adj. | 1. |  humble - low or inferior in station or quality; "a humble cottage"; "a lowly parish priest"; "a modest man of the people"; "small beginnings"inferior - of or characteristic of low rank or importance |
| 2. | humble - marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful; "a humble apology"; "essentially humble...and self-effacing, he achieved the highest formal honors and distinctions"- B.K.Malinowski modest - marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself; "a modest apartment"; "too modest to wear his medals" proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; "proud parents"; "proud of his accomplishments"; "a proud moment"; "proud to serve his country"; "a proud name"; "proud princes" | |
| 3. |  humble - used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)unskilled - not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency; "unskilled in the art of rhetoric"; "an enthusiastic but unskillful mountain climber"; "unskilled labor"; "workers in unskilled occupations are finding fewer and fewer job opportunities"; "unskilled workmanship" | |
| 4. |  humble - of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense); "baseborn wretches with dirty faces"; "of humble (or lowly) birth"lowborn - of humble birth or origins; "a topsy-turvy society of lowborn rich and blue-blooded poor" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
humble
adjective
1. modest, meek, unassuming, unpretentious, submissive, self-effacing, unostentatious Andy was a humble, courteous and gentle man.
modest lordly, proud, superior, vain, arrogant, pompous, pretentious, conceited, overbearing, haughty, ostentatious, snobbish, presumptuous, immodest, assuming
modest lordly, proud, superior, vain, arrogant, pompous, pretentious, conceited, overbearing, haughty, ostentatious, snobbish, presumptuous, immodest, assuming
2. lowly, common, poor, mean, low, simple, ordinary, modest, obscure, commonplace, insignificant, unimportant, unpretentious, undistinguished, plebeian, low-born He came from a fairly humble, poor background.
lowly important, rich, famous, high, significant, distinguished, superior, wealthy, elegant, glorious, aristocratic
lowly important, rich, famous, high, significant, distinguished, superior, wealthy, elegant, glorious, aristocratic
3. ordinary, common, commonplace He made his own reflector from a strip of humble kitchen foil.
verb
1. humiliate, shame, disgrace, break, reduce, lower, sink, crush, put down (slang), bring down, subdue, degrade, demean, chagrin, chasten, mortify, debase, put (someone) in their place, abase, take down a peg (informal), abash the little car company that humbled the industry giants
humiliate raise, elevate, magnify, exalt
humiliate raise, elevate, magnify, exalt
humble yourself humiliate yourself, grovel, eat humble pie, swallow your pride, eat crow (U.S. informal), abase yourself, go on bended knee He humbled himself and became obedient.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
humble
adjective2. Lacking high station or birth:
Archaic: base.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
humble
[ˈhʌmbl]A. ADJ (humbler (compar) (humblest (superl)))
1. (= unassuming) [person] → humilde, modesto; [apology] → humilde
she was very humble about her achievements → era muy modesta respecto a sus éxitos
my humble apologies for keeping you waiting (frm) → mis más humildes disculpas por tenerle esperando
in my humble opinion → en mi humilde or modesta opinión
I am or remain your humble servant (frm) (in letters) → su humilde or seguro/a servidor(a)
she was very humble about her achievements → era muy modesta respecto a sus éxitos
my humble apologies for keeping you waiting (frm) → mis más humildes disculpas por tenerle esperando
in my humble opinion → en mi humilde or modesta opinión
I am or remain your humble servant (frm) (in letters) → su humilde or seguro/a servidor(a)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
humble
(ˈhambl) adjective1. not having a high opinion of oneself etc. You have plenty of ability but you're too humble.humilde
verb to make (someone) humble. He was humbled by his failure.humillar
ˈhumbly adverbˈhumbleness nounsee also humility.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
humble
→ humildeMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009