| English Dictionary |
HONOUR
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Dictionary entry overview: What does honour mean?
• HONOUR (noun)
The noun HONOUR has 4 senses:
1. the state of being honored
2. a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
3. the quality of being honorable and having a good name
4. a woman's virtue or chastity
Familiarity information: HONOUR used as a noun is uncommon.
• HONOUR (verb)
The verb HONOUR has 3 senses:
1. bestow honor or rewards upon
2. show respect towards
3. accept as pay
Familiarity information: HONOUR used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
The state of being honored
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):
standing (social or financial or professional status or reputation)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "honour"):
glorification; glory (a state of high honor)
reputation; repute (the state of being held in high esteem and honor)
esteem; regard; respect (the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded))
celebrity; fame; renown (the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed)
Derivation:
honour (bestow honor or rewards upon)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
accolade; award; honor; honour; laurels
Context example:
an award for bravery
Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):
symbol (an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "honour"):
aliyah ((Judaism) the honor of being called up to the reading desk in the synagogue to read from the Torah)
Prix Goncourt (an award given annually for contributions to French literature)
Prix de Rome (an annual prize awarded by the French government in a competition of painters and artists and sculptors and musicians and architects; the winner in each category receives support for a period of study in Rome)
Academy Award; Oscar (an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance)
Nobel prize (an annual award for outstanding contributions to chemistry or physics or physiology and medicine or literature or economics or peace)
Emmy (an annual award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievements in television)
trophy (an award for success in war or hunting)
decoration; laurel wreath; medal; medallion; palm; ribbon (an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event)
honorable mention; mention (an official recognition of merit)
distinction (an honor awarded to someone in recognition of achievement or superiority)
citation; commendation (an official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement)
cachet; seal; seal of approval (an indication of approved or superior status)
crown; pennant (the award given to the champion)
academic degree; degree (an award conferred by a college or university signifying that the recipient has satisfactorily completed a course of study)
prize; trophy (something given as a token of victory)
letter; varsity letter (an award earned by participation in a school sport)
Derivation:
honour (bestow honor or rewards upon)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The quality of being honorable and having a good name
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
honor; honour
Context example:
a man of honor
Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):
righteousness (adhering to moral principles)
Sense 4
Meaning:
A woman's virtue or chastity
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
honor; honour; pureness; purity
Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):
chastity; sexual morality; virtue (morality with respect to sexual relations)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it honours Past simple: honoured
Past participle: honoured
-ing form: honouring
Sense 1
Meaning:
Bestow honor or rewards upon
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
Context example:
The scout was rewarded for courageous action
Hypernyms (to "honour" is one way to...):
recognise; recognize (show approval or appreciation of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "honour"):
drink; pledge; salute; toast; wassail (propose a toast to)
dignify; ennoble (confer dignity or honor upon)
decorate (award a mark of honor, such as a medal, to)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Derivation:
honour (a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction)
honour (the state of being honored)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Show respect towards
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
abide by; honor; honour; observe; respect
Context example:
honor your parents!
Hypernyms (to "honour" is one way to...):
accept (consider or hold as true)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "honour"):
celebrate; lionise; lionize (assign great social importance to)
tolerate (recognize and respect (rights and beliefs of others))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sense 3
Meaning:
Accept as pay
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
honor; honour
Context example:
we honor checks and drafts
Hypernyms (to "honour" is one way to...):
accept; have; take (receive willingly something given or offered)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Context examples
The play will be given up, and your delicacy honoured as it ought.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Nay, you may have met with another whom you may love; and considering yourself as bound in honour to Elizabeth, this struggle may occasion the poignant misery which you appear to feel.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
My dinner was brought, and four persons of quality, whom I remembered to have seen very near the king’s person, did me the honour to dine with me.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
Indeed! Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
Highly honoured, sir, I am sure.
(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
May I hope for the honour of your hand for the two first dances of this little projected ball, to be given, not at Randalls, but at the Crown Inn?
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
I bind my honour to you that I am done with him in this world.
(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
But you keep your weather-eye open, Jim, and I'll share with you equals, upon my honour.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Steerforth continued his protection of me, and proved a very useful friend; since nobody dared to annoy one whom he honoured with his countenance.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
A month ago, however, a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
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"Five fingers are brothers, not equals." (Afghanistan proverb)
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"Don't go to the pub without money." (Czech proverb)