Honour Great Respect Extra Examples Important I Proud

• the guest of honour (= the most important one)
• the seat/place of honour (= given to the most important guest)
• they stood in silence as a mark of honour to her.
• this biography does great honour to the poet's achievements.

honour

1. great respect for somebody
• SEE ALSO maid of honour
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/maid-of-honour
• the guest of honour (= the most important one)
• the seat/place of honour (= given to the most important guest)
• They stood in silence as a mark of honour to her.
• This biography does great honour to the poet's achievements.

Extra Examples

• The president was guest of honour at the society's banquet.
• The prime minister sought an agreement that would bring peace with honour.
2. something that you are very pleased or proud to do because people are showing you great respect
• SYNONYM privilege
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/privilege_2
• It was a great honour to be invited here today.
• It is a great honour to represent my country at the Olympics.
• It was my honour and privilege to be Helen's friend.
• The city has the dubious honour (= something that does not make you pleased or proud) of being the road rage capital of Europe.
• He shared the honour of being the season's top scorer with Andy Cole.
3. the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right
• a man of honour
• Proving his innocence has become a matter of honour.

Extra Examples

• He was a man of honour who always spoke the truth.
• It is a matter of honour to keep our standards as high as possible.
• She showed a scrupulous sense of honour in discharging her debts.
• a man without honour
4. a good reputation; respect from other people
• COMPARE dishonour
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/dishonour_2
• upholding the honour of your country
• The family honour is at stake.

Extra Examples

• He was now satisfied that the family honour had been restored.
• He would always fight to defend the family honour.
• National honour is at stake in this match between France and England.
• She felt she had to defend the honour of her profession.
• In the return match the home team won 3–0 and honour was satisfied.
• She brought honour to her country as an Olympic medal-winner.
5. a person or thing that causes others to respect and admire something/somebody
• She is an honour to the profession.
6. an award, official title, etc. given to somebody as a reward for something that they have done
• SEE ALSO roll of honour
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/roll-of-honour
• the New Year’s Honours list (= in Britain, a list of awards and titles given on January 1 each year)
• to receive/win the highest honour
• to bestow an honour on somebody
• She received nearly every honour bestowed upon a poet.
• He received numerous honours, including the OBE in 1961.
• He was buried with full military honours (= with a special military service as a sign of respect).
• He wears his scars like badges of honour (= rewards that you can see).

Extra Examples

• Brokeback Mountain has taken top honours at the Venice Film Festival.
• No actor deserves the honour more than Caine.
• television's highest honour
• Eastlake Studio received top honours in the interior design category.
• He was made a life peer in the New Year's honours list.
• It was the British who scooped the honours at last night's Oscars.
• The Order of Merit is the highest civilian honour that can be conferred on someone.
• She has confirmed that she will accept the honour of a peerage.
7. a university course that is of a higher level than a basic course (in the US also used to describe a class in school that is at a higher level than other classes)
• an honours degree/course
• a First Class Honours degree
• I took an honors class in English.

Extra Examples

• joint honours in mathematics and statistics
• He's in the third year of his honours course.
8. if you pass an exam or graduate from a university or school with honours, you receive a special grade for having achieved a very high standard
• He passed with second-class honours.
9. a title of respect used when talking to or about a judge or a US mayor
• No more questions, Your Honour.
10. the cards that have the highest value
11. to do something to make somebody feel very proud and pleased
• Would you do me the honour of dining with me?
12. to perform a social duty or ceremony, such as pouring drinks, making a speech, etc.
• Would you do the honours and draw the winning ticket?
13. to be given the opportunity to do something that makes you feel proud and happy
• May I have the honour of the next dance?
• It was Tevez who had the honour of scoring the first goal.
• She had the honour of being the first living artist to have her work exhibited in the Louvre.
• I had the rare honour of being allowed into the artist's studio.
• Max was given the dubious honour (= it may not really have made him feel proud and happy) of organizing the children's party.
14. used to say that even criminals have standards of behaviour that they respect
15. to feel that you must do something because of your sense of moral duty
• COMPARE duty-bound
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/duty-bound
• She felt honour-bound to attend as she had promised to.
• He felt honour bound to help her.
16. no particular person, team, etc. is doing better than the others in a competition, an argument, etc.
17. in order to show great respect for somebody/something
• a ceremony in honour of those killed in the explosion
• A banquet was held in her honour.

Extra Examples

• The arch was built in honour of the Emperor.
• They organized a party in his honour.
18. used to promise very seriously that you will do something or that something is true
• I swear on my honour that I knew nothing about this.
19. to be trusted to do something
• You're on your honour not to go into my room.
20. a thing that somebody considers to be very important for their honour or reputation

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French onor (noun), onorer (verb), from Latin honos, honor.