- Home
- Idioms
- put to shame
put to shame
put someone to shame
1. to embarrass someone; to make someone ashamed. I put him to shame by telling everyone about his bad behavior.
2. to show someone up. Your excellent efforts put us all to shame.
put somebody to shame
to cause someone to be embarrassed I thought I was in pretty good shape for hiking, but Astrid, who is in her 70s, put me to shame.
put to shame
Outdo, eclipse, as in Jane's immaculate kitchen puts mine to shame. This idiom modifies the literal sense of put to shame, that is, "disgrace someone," to the much milder "cause to feel inferior." [Mid-1800s]
put to shame
1. To cause to feel shame.
2. To outdo thoroughly; surpass: Your kindness has put the rest of us to shame.