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# shameful

adjective (shameful, more shameful, most shameful); adverb «shamefully»

«shameful» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Causing shame; so bad or wrong that people should feel ashamed of it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#m1)
2. Disgraceful; shocking in a bad way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#m2)

### In the lessons

In ethics lessons and stories: shameful behaviour, a shameful secret. In news: «a shameful decision». It judges an action, not just a feeling. Phrases: «a shameful thing», «it's shameful that», «shameful behaviour», «a shameful secret».

### Examples

- It's shameful to laugh at someone who has fallen over. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x1)
- Cheating in the test was a shameful thing to do. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x2)
- The way they treated the new girl was shameful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x3)
- He kept the shameful secret for years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x4)
- It is shameful that the park is full of litter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x5)
- Leaving the dog without water all day was shameful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x6)
- What a shameful day for me! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/#x7)

### Note

Do not confuse with «ashamed» (feeling shame: «I'm ashamed») and «shameless» (feeling no shame when you should). Shameful describes the act; ashamed describes the person.

## In Jewish tradition

"The shameful thing" is the prophets' name for the idol Baal, a word chosen so as not to say the idol's name with respect. Jeremiah says it "devoured" what the fathers worked for, and that altars to it stood in every street.

**Interpretation.** The rabbis explain that the word "shame" (bosheth) was used in place of Baal to show contempt for idol worship.

### Examples

- But the shameful thing hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. (Prophets JER.3.24, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shameful/#x1)
- For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to offer unto Baal. (Prophets JER.11.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shameful/#x2)

### Note

Do not confuse with «ashamed» (feeling shame: «I'm ashamed») and «shameless» (feeling no shame when you should). Shameful describes the act; ashamed describes the person.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «shameful» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shameful/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«shameful» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shameful.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «shameful» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shameful/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«shameful» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/shameful.html) on Mova free.