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Webster 1913 Edition

Honor

Hon′or

(ŏn′ẽr)
,
Noun.
[OE.
honor
,
honour
,
onour
,
onur
, OF.
honor
,
onor
,
honur
,
onur
,
honour
,
onour
, F.
honneur
, fr. L.
honor
,
honos
.]
[Written also
honour
.]
1.
Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence.
A prophet is not without
honor
, save in his own country.
Matt. xiii. 57.
2.
That which rightfully attracts esteem, respect, or consideration; self-respect; dignity; courage; fidelity; especially, excellence of character; high moral worth; virtue; nobleness.
Godlike erect, with native
honor
clad.
Milton.
If she have forgot
Honor
and virtue.
Shakespeare
4.
A nice sense of what is right, just, and true, with course of life correspondent thereto; strict conformity to the duty imposed by conscience, position, or privilege; integrity; uprightness; trustworthness.
Say, what is
honor
? ’T is the finest sense
Of justice which the human mind can frame,
Intent each lurking frailty to disclaim,
And guard the way of life from all offense
Suffered or done.
Wordsworth.
I could not love thee, dear, so much,
Loved I not
honor
more.
Lovelace.
5.
That to which esteem or consideration is paid; distinguished position; high rank.
“Restored me to my honors.”
Shak.
I have given thee . . . both riches, and
honor
.
1 Kings iii. 13.
Thou art clothed with
honor
and majesty.
Ps. civ. 1.
6.
Fame; reputation; credit.
Some in their actions do woo, and affect
honor
and reputation.
Bacon.
If my
honor
is meant anything distinct from conscience, 't is no more than a regard to the censure and esteem of the world.
Rogers.
7.
A token of esteem paid to worth; a mark of respect; a ceremonial sign of consideration;
as, he wore an
honor
on his breast; military
honors
; civil
honors
.
“Their funeral honors.”
Dryden.
8.
A cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament;
as, he is an
honor
to his nation
.
9.
A title applied to the holders of certain honorable civil offices, or to persons of rank;
as, His
Honor
the Mayor
. See Note under
Honorable
.
10.
(Feud. Law)
A seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended.
Cowell.
11.
pl.
Academic or university prizes or distinctions;
as,
honors
in classics
.
12.
pl.
(Whist)
The ace, king, queen, and jack of trumps. The ten and nine are sometimes called
Dutch honors
.
R. A. Proctor.
Affair of honor
,
a dispute to be decided by a duel, or the duel itself.
–
Court of honor
,
a court or tribunal to investigate and decide questions relating to points of honor; as a court of chivalry, or a military court to investigate acts or omissions which are unofficerlike or ungentlemanly in their nature.
–
Debt of honor
,
a debt contracted by a verbal promise, or by betting or gambling, considered more binding than if recoverable by law.
–
Honor bright!
An assurance of truth or fidelity.
[Colloq.]
–
Honor court
(Feudal Law)
,
one held in an honor or seignory.
–
Honor point
.
(Her.)
See
Escutcheon
.
–
Honors of war
(Mil.)
,
distinctions granted to a vanquished enemy, as of marching out from a camp or town armed, and with colors flying.
–
Law of honor
or
Code of honor
,
certain rules by which social intercourse is regulated among persons of fashion, and which are founded on a regard to reputation.
Paley.
–
Maid of honor
,
(a)
a lady of rank, whose duty it is to attend the queen when she appears in public.
(b)
the bride's principle attendant at a wedding, if unmarried. If married, she is referred to as the
matron of honor
.
–
On one's honor
,
on the pledge of one's honor; as, the members of the House of Lords in Great Britain, are not under oath, but give their statements or verdicts on their honor.
–
Point of honor
,
a scruple or nice distinction in matters affecting one's honor; as, he raised a point of honor.
–
To do the honors
,
to bestow honor, as on a guest; to act as host or hostess at an entertainment.
“To do the honors and to give the word.”
Pope.
–
To do one honor
,
to confer distinction upon one.
–
To have the honor
,
to have the privilege or distinction.
–
Word of honor
,
an engagement confirmed by a pledge of honor.

Hon′or

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Honored
(ŏn′ẽrd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Honoring
.]
[OE.
honouren
,
onouren
, OF.
honorer
,
honourer
, F.
honorer
, fr. L.
honorare
, fr.
honor
,
Noun.
]
1.
To regard or treat with honor, esteem, or respect; to revere; to treat with deference and submission; when used of the Supreme Being, to reverence; to adore; to worship.
Honor
thy father and thy mother.
Ex. xx. 12.
That all men should
honor
the Son, even as they
honor
the Father.
John v. 23.
It is a custom
More
honor'd
in the breach than the observance.
Shakespeare
2.
To dignify; to raise to distinction or notice; to bestow honor upon; to elevate in rank or station; to ennoble; to exalt; to glorify; hence, to do something to honor; to treat in a complimentary manner or with civility.
Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighten to
honor
.
Esther vi. 9.
The name of Cassius
honors
this corruption.
Shakespeare
3.
(Com.)
To accept and pay when due;
as, to
honor
a bill of exchange
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Honor

HON'OR

,
Noun.
on'or. [L. honor, honos.]
1.
The esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation.
A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country. Matt.13.
2.
A testimony of esteem; any expression of respect or of high estimation by words or actions; as the honors of war; military honors; funeral honors; civil honors.
3.
Dignity; exalted rank or place; distinction.
I have given thee riches and honor. 1 Kings 3.
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Ps. 104.
In doing a good thing, there is both honor and pleasure.
4.
Reverence; veneration; or any act by which reverence and submission are expressed,as worship paid to the Supreme Being.
5.
Reputation; good name; as, his honor is unsullied.
6.
True nobleness of mind; magnanimity; dignified respect for character, springing from probity, principle or moral rectitude; a distinguishing trait in the character of good men.
7.
An assumed appearance of nobleness; scorn of meanness, springing from the fear of reproach, without regard to principle; as, shall I violate my trust? Forbid it, honor.
8.
Any particular virtue much valued; as bravery in men, and chastity in females.
9.
Dignity of mien; noble appearance.
Godlike erect, with native honor clad.
10. That which honors; he or that which confers dignity; as,the chancellor is an honor to his profession.
11. Privileges of rank or birth; in the plural.
Restore me to my honors.
12. Civilities paid.
Then here a slave, or if you will, a lord,
To do the honors,and to give the word.
13. That which adorns; ornament; decoration.
The sire then shook the honors of his head.
14. A noble kind of seignory or lordship, held of the king in capite.
On or upon my honor, words accompanying a declaration which pledge one's honor or reputation for the truth of it. The members of the house of lords in Great Britain are not under oath, but give their opinions on their honor.
Laws of honor, among persons of fashion, signify certain rules by which their social intercourse is regulated,and which are founded on a regard to reputation. These laws require a punctilious attention to decorum in external deportment, but admit of the foulest violations of moral duty.
Court of honor, a court of chivalry; a court of civil and criminal jurisdiction, having power to redress injuries of honor, and to hold pleas respecting matters of arms and deeds of war.

HON'OR

, v.t on'or. [L. honoro.]
1.
To revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and perform relative duties to.
Honor thy father and thy mother. Ex.20.
2.
To reverence; to manifest the highest veneration for, in words and actions; to entertain the most exalted thoughts of; to worship; to adore.
That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. John 5.
3.
To dignify; to raise to distinction or notice; to elevate in rank or station; to exalt. Men are sometimes honored with titles and offices, which they do not merit.
Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor. Esth.6.
4.
To glorify; to render illustrious.
I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host. Ex.14.
5.
To treat with due civility and respect in the ordinary intercourse of life. The troops honored the governor with a salute.
6.
In commerce, to accept and pay when due; as, to honor a bill of exchange.

Definition 2024

Honor

Honor

See also: honor and hönor

English

Alternative forms

Proper noun

Honor

  1. A female given name.
    • 2004 Annie Proulx, Bad Dirt, Fourth Estate, ISBN 0007196911, page 104:
      They had named the baby Honor because Eugenie had been moved by Honoré de Balzac's Le Père Goriot in her French class.

Usage notes

  • The given name is often spelled Honor also in the U.K.

honor

honor

See also: Honor and hönor

English

Alternative forms

  • honour (British, Commonwealth, Irish)

Noun

honor ‎(countable and uncountable, plural honors) (chiefly American)

  1. (uncountable) Recognition of importance or value; respect; veneration (of someone, usually for being morally upright and/or competent).
    The crowds gave the returning general much honor and praise.
    • The King James Bible, Matthew 13.57:
      A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country.
  2. (uncountable) The state of being morally upright, honest, noble, virtuous, and magnanimous; excellence of character; the perception of such a state; favourable reputation; dignity.
    He was a most perfect knight, for he had great honor and chivalry.
    His honor was unstained.
  3. (countable) A token of praise or respect; something that represents praiseworthiness or respect, such as a prize or award given by the state to a citizen.
    Honors are normally awarded twice a year: on The Queen's Birthday in June and at the New Year.
    He wore an honor on his breast.
    military honors; civil honors
    Audie Murphy received many honors, such as the Distinguished Service Cross.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Dryden:
      their funeral honors
  4. A privilege.
    I had the honour of dining with the ambassador.
  5. (in the plural) The privilege of going first.
    I'll let you have the honours, Bob—go ahead.
    1. (golf) The right to play one's ball before one's opponent.
  6. A cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament.
    He is an honour to his nation.
  7. (feudal law) A seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Cowell to this entry?)
  8. (heraldry, countable) The center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon. (Compare honour point.)
  9. (countable, card games) In bridge, an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit. In some other games, an ace, king, queen or jack.
  10. (in the plural) (Courses for) an honours degree: a university qualification of the highest rank.
    At university I took honours in modern history.

Usage notes

Like many other words ending in -our/-or, this word is usually spelled honour in the UK and honor in the US. However, the spelling honour is considered more formal in the United States, and is standard in formulations such as "the honour of your presence" as used on wedding invitations and other very formal documents.[1]

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

  1. ↑ The Emily Post Institute, Formal Wedding Invitation Wording

Verb

honor ‎(third-person singular simple present honors, present participle honoring, simple past and past participle honored) (chiefly US)

  1. (transitive) To think of highly, to respect highly; to show respect for; to recognise the importance or spiritual value of.
    The freedom fighters will be forever remembered and honored by the people.
  2. (transitive) To conform to, abide by, act in accordance with (an agreement, treaty, promise, request, or the like).
    I trusted you, but you have not honored your promise.
    refuse to honor the test ban treaty
  3. (transitive) To confer (bestow) an honour or privilege upon (someone).
    Ten members of the profession were honored at the ceremony.
    The prince honored me with an invitation to his birthday banquet.
  4. (transitive) To make payment in respect of (a cheque, banker's draft etc).
    I'm sorry Sir, but the bank did not honour your cheque.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin honōrem, accusative of honor.

Pronunciation

  • (Eastern) IPA(key): /uˈnoɾ/
  • (Western) IPA(key): /oˈnoɾ/

Noun

honor m ‎(plural honors)

  1. honour

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Unknown.

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈho.nor/, [ˈhɔ.nɔr]

Noun

honor m ‎(genitive honōris); third declension

  1. honor, esteem

Inflection

Third declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative honor honōrēs
genitive honōris honōrum
dative honōrī honōribus
accusative honōrem honōrēs
ablative honōre honōribus
vocative honor honōrēs

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Portuguese: honor
  • Romanian: onoare
  • Russian: гонор ‎(gonor) (pejor.)
  • Sardinian: onore, onori, unore
  • Sicilian: unuri
  • Scottish Gaelic: onoir
  • Spanish: honor
  • Turkish: onur
  • Ukrainian: гонор ‎(honor)
  • Venetian: onor

References

  • honor in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • honor in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • HONOR in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
  • Félix Gaffiot (1934), “honor”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
  • Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • a man who has held every office (up to the consulship): vir defunctus honoribus
    • a man who has held many offices: honoribus ac reipublicae muneribus perfunctus (De Or. 1. 45)
    • a man who has held many offices: amplis honoribus usus (Sall. Iug. 25. 4)
    • (ambiguous) to be deprived of the rites of burial: sepulturae honore carere
    • (ambiguous) to be honoured, esteemed by some one: esse in honore apud aliquem
    • (ambiguous) to honour, show respect for, a person: aliquem honore afficere, augere, ornare, prosequi (vid. sect. VI. 11., note Prosequi...)
    • (ambiguous) to kindle ambition in some one's mind: aliquem cupiditate honorum inflammare (or aliquem ad cupiditatem honorum inflammare)
    • (ambiguous) to aspire to dignity, high honours: honores concupiscere (opp. aspernari)
    • (ambiguous) to speak of some one respectfully: honoris causa aliquem nominare or appellare
    • (ambiguous) to pay divine honours to some one: alicui divinos honores tribuere, habere
    • (ambiguous) to rise, mount to the honours of office: ad honores ascendere
    • (ambiguous) to reach the highest grade of office: amplissimos honorum gradus assequi, adipisci
    • (ambiguous) to attain to the highest offices: ad summos honores pervenire (cf. also sect. V. 17)
    • (ambiguous) to seek office: petere magistratum, honores
    • (ambiguous) to invest a person with a position of dignity: honores alicui mandare, deferre
  • honor in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • honor in William Smith, editor (1848) A Dictionary of Greek Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray
  • De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Latin honor

Noun

honor m ‎(oblique plural honors, nominative singular honors, nominative plural honor)

  1. honor; honour

Descendants

Polish

Etymology

From Latin honor

Noun

honor m inan

  1. honour, honor (praiseworthiness, respect)

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Old Spanish onor, from Latin honor, honoris.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /o.ˈnoɾ/
  • See also: henar

Noun

honor m ‎(plural honores)

  1. honor

Related terms

Anagrams


Swedish

Noun

honor

  1. indefinite plural of hona

Etymology

Shortened from Honoria and Honora; later also interpreted as a virtue name by Puritans.

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