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modesty

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false modesty

A vain or hypocritical pretense of holding a low or humble opinion of oneself, one's abilities, or one's circumstance so as to encourage others to say the opposite. There's no need for that false modesty here; you are fully aware of your success and achievement, and you don't need me to reaffirm it for you. I find her false modesty quite unbecoming.

See also: false, modesty

in all modesty

  (humorous)

something that you say when you are going to talk about your own achievements I have to say, in all modesty, that we wouldn't have won the game if I hadn't been playing.

See also: all, modesty