Pride

n. [A-S. pryta, pryt; Icel. prydi, honor, ornament, prydda, Dan. pryde, Sw. pryda, to adorn, Dan. prydelse, Sw. prydnad, prydning, ornament; W. prydus, comely. See PROUD.] 1. The state or quality of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others. Those that walk in pride he is able to abase. Dan. iv. 37. Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt. Franklin. 2. Sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character;—in a good sense. A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve any thing worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants. Macaulay.

3. Proud behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct. “That hardly we escaped the pride of France.” Shak.
4. That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting; ground of self-esteem; as, (a.) Decoration; ornament. “Lofty trees yclad with summer’s pride.” Spenser.

Be his this sword, Whose ivory sheath, inwrought with curious pride, Adds graceful terror to the wearer’s side. Pope. (b.) Show; ostentation; honor. In this array, the war of either side Through Athens passed with military pride. Dryden. (c.) Elevation reached; loftiness. “A falcon towering in her pride of place.” Shak. 5. Excitement of the sexual appetite in a female beast. Shak. Pride of India. (Bot.) See MARGOSA. Syn.—Self-exaltation; conceit; hauteur; haughtiness; lordliness; loftiness.—PRIDE, VANITY. Pride is an over-valuing of one's self for some real or imagined superiority, as rank, wealth, talents, &c. Vanity is the love of being admired (not merely approved), so that he who is vain has a secret feeling of pleasure at being praised for excellence, which he commonly does not possess, and is perfectly conscious of not possessing. Pride denotes an inflated spirit of self-importance, with a corresponding disregard or contempt for others. Vanity is, etymologically, “emptiness,” and the term was transferred to the character in question, because of the want of real merit supposed to be associated therewith. If the former is more hateful, the latter is more contemptible. Pride hath no glass To show itself, but pride; for supple knees Feed arrogance, and are the proud man's fees. Shak. 'Tis an old maxim in the schools, That vanity's the food of fools. Swift.