Library / English Dictionary

HONOUR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A woman's virtue or chastity

Synonyms:

honor; honour; pureness; purity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):

chastity; sexual morality; virtue (morality with respect to sexual relations)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being honorable and having a good name

Example:

a man of honor

Synonyms:

honor; honour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("honour" is a kind of...):

righteousness (adhering to moral principles)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

Example:

an award for bravery

Synonyms:

accolade; award; honor; honour; laurels

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

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"):

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)

letter; varsity letter (an award earned by participation in a school sport)

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)

aliyah ((Judaism) the honor of being called up to the reading desk in the synagogue to read from the Torah)

prize; trophy (something given as a token of victory)

Derivation:

honour (bestow honor or rewards upon)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The state of being honored

Synonyms:

honor; honour; laurels

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

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"):

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)

glorification; glory (a state of high honor)

Derivation:

honour (bestow honor or rewards upon)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Accept as pay

Example:

we honor checks and drafts

Synonyms:

honor; honour

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "honour" is one way to...):

accept; have; take (receive willingly something given or offered)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Show respect towards

Example:

honor your parents!

Synonyms:

abide by; honor; honour; observe; respect

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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:

Bestow honor or rewards upon

Example:

The scout was rewarded for courageous action

Synonyms:

honor; honour; reward

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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)

Credits

 Context examples: 

"On my honour, I am much obliged to you," was the reply.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He was a man loved and honoured by all who knew him; and in his youth was, I have heard, the inventor of a burnt rum punch, much patronised on Derby night.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I was hers in honour if she wished it.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Then I will tell you, relying entirely upon your honour and that of your colleague, Dr. Watson.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I have not the honour, Sir James.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Is he not a man of honour and feeling?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“Do you know,” said he, “that I begin to believe that I am the unconscious centre of some monstrous conspiracy, and that my life is aimed at as well as my honour?”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There is little evidence available to support or refute these sayings, so, to put an end to this uncertainty, researchers at Witten/Herdecke University in Germany and the University of Cambridge in the UK evaluated scientifically whether or not this time-honoured wisdom truly reduces a hangover burden.

(Wine before beer, or beer before wine? Either way, you’ll be hungover, University of Cambridge)

This made Lip-lip the leader, and was apparently an honour! but in reality it took away from him all honour, and instead of being bully and master of the pack, he now found himself hated and persecuted by the pack.

(White Fang, by Jack London)