shamefast

English

Etymology

From Middle English shamefast, schamefast, schamfast, sceomefest, from Old English sċamfæst (“modest”), corresponding to shame +‎ fast.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈʃeɪmfɑːst/

Adjective

shamefast (comparative more shamefast, superlative most shamefast)

1. (archaic) Bashful, modest; shy.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     With chaunge of cheare the seeming simple maid / Let fall her eyen, as shamefast to the earth […]

   • 1600, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “[Book XXXIX]”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, pages 1027–1028:

     Novv vvhen as vvine had drovvned and drouſed the underſtanding: vvhen the night ſeaſon, vvhen the entermingling of men and vvomen together one vvith another (and namely, they of young and tender yeeres, vvith thoſe of elder age) had cleane put out & extinguiſhed all reſpect and regard of ſhamefaſt honeſtie: there began firſt to be practiſed all ſorts of corruption, for every one had all pleaſures readie at commaundement, and his choiſe of thoſe vvhereto by nature he vvas more prone and given to luſt after.

   • 1624, Iohn Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, (please specify |book=1 to 6); reprinted in The Generall Historie of Virginia, [...] (Bibliotheca Americana), Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, 1966, →OCLC:

     But the women are alwayes covered about their middles with a skin, and very shamefast to be seene bare.

Derived terms

• shamefaced
• shamefastly
• shamefastness
• unshamefast

Anagrams

• fat-shames

Middle English

Alternative forms

• shamfast, ssamvest, shomefaste, sceomefest, shomevaste

Etymology

From Old English sċamfæst, equivalent to shame +‎ fast.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃaːmfast/

Adjective

shamefast

1. modest, humble, virtuous, bashful, shy, timid

Descendants

• English: shamefast
  • ⇒ English: shamefaced
• Scots: schamefast, schamfast
• Yola: shaamfasth, shaamfast

References

• “shāmefast(e, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.