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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Humble

Hŭm'ble, a.

adjective

(76) (Synop., § 130), a. [compar. HUMBLER; superl. HUMBLEST.] [Fr. humble, O. Fr. humle, humele, humble, Pr. & O. Sp. humil, Sp. & Pg. humilde, It. umile, from Lat. humilis, on the ground, low, from humus, the earth, ground.]

  1. Not high or lofty; low; unpretending; mean; as, a humble place or cottage. “Thy humble nest built on the ground.” Cowley.
  2. Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; thinking one's self ill-deserving or unworthy, when judged by the demands of God; lowly; meek; modest.

“She must be humble who would please.” Prior. “Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of our blessed religion, we can never hope to be a happy nation.” George Washington. 3. Sore; bruised. [Obs.] “Humble heels.” Holland. To eat humble pie, to take up with mean fare, and hence, to endure mortification; to submit tamely to insult or injury; to look or act in a meanly humble and cowardly manner; — said to be derived from a pie made of the entrails or humbles of a deer. See HUMBLES. Halliwell. Thackeray.

Hŭm'ble, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. HUMBLED; p. pr. & vb. n. HUMBLING.]

Sense 1. To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to bring down; to lower; to abase; to mortify.

Take thou this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues Have humbled to all strokes. Shak.

Sense 2. To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride of; to reduce the arrogance and self-dependence of; to make meek and submissive to the divine will; — often used reflexively.

Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart. 2 Chron. xxxii. 26.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you. 1 Pet. v. 6.

Sense 3. To break; to make sore. [Obs.] “Kibed or humbled heels.” Holland.

Synonyms—To abase; lower; depress; humiliate; disgrace; degrade; sink.