shameless

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English shameles, shamelees, schameles, schomeles, schomeleas, from Old English sċamlēas, sċeamlēas (without shame; shameless), from Proto-Germanic *skamalausaz (shameless), equivalent to shame +‎ -less. Cognate with West Frisian skamteleas (shameless), Dutch schaamteloos (shameless), German schamlos (shameless), Danish skamløs (shameless), Swedish skamlös (shameless), Icelandic skammlaus (shameless; unashamed).

Adjective

[edit]

shameless (comparative more shameless, superlative most shameless)

  1. Having no shame, no guilt nor remorse over something considered wrong; immodest, brazen; unable to feel disgrace.
  2. (obsolete) Not subject to other people’s shaming or reproach.
    • c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 38–41:
      He shall be as now nameles,
      But he shall not be blameles,
      Nor he shall not be shameles;
      For sure he wrought amys, []

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]