honor

honor [än′ər]

n.

[ME honour < OFr < L honor, honos, official dignity, repute, esteem]

1. high regard or great respect given, received, or enjoyed; esp.,

a) glory; fame; renown

b) good reputation; credit

2. a keen sense of right and wrong; adherence to action or principles considered right; integrity [to conduct oneself with honor]

3.

a) chastity or purity

b) reputation for chastity

4. high rank or position; distinction; dignity [the great honor of the presidency]

5. [H-] a title of respect given to certain officials, as judges: preceded by Your or by His or Her

6. something done or given as a token or act of respect; specif.,

a) Obs. a curtsy; bow

b) a social courtesy or privilege [may I have the honor of this dance?]

c) a badge, token, decoration, etc. given to a person

d) [pl.] public acts or ceremonies of respect [buried with full military honors]

e) [pl.] special distinction or credit given to students, esp. at commencement, for high academic achievement

f) [pl.] an advanced course of study in place of or in addition to the regular course, for exceptional students [Honors English]

7. a person or thing that brings respect and fame to a school, country, etc.

8. Bridge

a) any of the five highest cards in a suit

b) [pl.] all, or any four, of the five highest cards of the trump suit or, in a no-trump hand, the four aces

9. Golf the privilege of driving first from the tee

vt.

1. to respect greatly; regard highly; esteem

2. to show great respect or high regard for; treat with deference and courtesy

3. to worship (a deity)

4. to do or give something in honor of

5.

a) to accept and pay when due [to honor a check]

b) to carry out the terms of [to honor a treaty obligation]

c) to accept as valid, good for credit, etc. [a store that honors most credit cards]

6. to make a bow to in square dancing

adj.

of or showing honor [honor roll]

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do honor to

1. to show great respect for

2. to bring or cause honor to

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do the honors

to act as host or hostess, esp. by making introductions, proposing toasts, serving at table, etc.

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honor bright

Informal honestly; truthfully

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in honor of

as a token of respect for

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on one's honor or upon one's honor

staking one's good name or one's truthfulness, trustworthiness, or reliability

SYN.- HONOR, as compared here, implies popular acknowledgment of a person's right to great respect as well as any expression of such respect [in honor of the martyred dead ]; HOMAGE suggests great esteem shown in praise, tributes, or obeisance [to pay homage to the genius of Milton ]; REVERENCE implies deep respect together with love [he held her memory in reverence]; DEFERENCE suggests a display of courteous regard for a superior, or for one to whom respect is due, by yielding to the person's status, claims, or wishes [in deference to his age ]