honor

Noun

honor (countable and uncountable, plural honors)

1. (US, uncountable) Recognition of importance or value; respect; veneration (of someone, usually for being morally upright or successful).
   • The crowds gave the returning general much honor and praise.
   • A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 13:57
2. (US, uncountable) The state of being morally upright, honest, noble, virtuous, and magnanimous; excellence of character; the perception of such a state; favourable reputation; dignity.
   • He was a most perfect knight, for he had great honor and chivalry.
   • His honor was unstained.

   Synonyms:

   integrity, rectitude, uprightness, angelicality, angelicalness, angelicity, angelicness, decency, godliness, honesty

3. (US, countable) A token of praise or respect; something that represents praiseworthiness or respect, such as a prize or award given by the state to a citizen.
   • Honors are normally awarded twice a year: on The Queen's Birthday in June and at the New Year.
   • He wore an honor on his breast.
4. (US) A privilege (which honors the person experiencing it).
   • I had the honour of dining with the ambassador.
5. (US, in plural) The privilege of going first.
   • I'll let you have the honours, Bob—go ahead.
   1. (US, in plural) The right to play one's ball before one's opponent.
6. (US) A cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament.
   • He is an honour to his nation.
7. (US, feudal law) A seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended.
   • The lorde of the honour or manour1523, Anthony Fitzherbert, Book of Surveying
8. (US, countable) The center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon (compare honour point).
9. (US, countable) In bridge, an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit; in some other games, an ace, king, queen or jack.
   1. (US, countable) a dragon or wind tile.
10. (US, in plural) (Courses for) an honours degree: a university qualification of the highest rank.
    • At university I took honours in modern history.

Verb

honor (third-person singular simple present honors, present participle honoring, simple past and past participle honored)

1. (US, transitive) To think of highly, to respect highly; to show respect for; to recognise the importance or spiritual value of.
   • The freedom fighters will be forever remembered and honored by the people.

   Synonyms:

   esteem, laud, worthy, aggrandize, applaud, enthrone, appraise, belaud, bepraise, commend

   Antonyms:

   despise, condemn

2. (US, transitive) To conform to, abide by, act in accordance with (an agreement, treaty, promise, request, or the like).
   • I trusted you, but you have not honored your promise.
   • Our wishes were honored by changing the date of the wedding.
3. (US, transitive) To confer (bestow) an honour or privilege upon (someone).
   • Ten members of the profession were honored at the ceremony.
   • The prince honored me with an invitation to his birthday banquet.

   Synonyms:

   dignify, elevate, uplift, advance, aggrandize, ennoble, exalt, nobilitate, prefer, promote

4. (US, transitive) To make payment in respect of (a cheque, banker's draft, etc.).
   • I'm sorry Sir, but the bank did not honour your cheque.

Interjection

1. (US, archaic) On one's honor; truthfully.
   • “Not a ha’porth. Different gangs and different ships. He was tried again for prison breaking, and got made a Lifer.”
     “And was that—Honour!—the only time you worked out, in this part of the country?”
     “The only time.”1861, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Proper noun (1) capitalized: Honor

Honor (plural Honors)

1. A female given name from English.
   • They had named the baby Honor because Eugenie had been moved by Honoré de Balzac's Le Père Goriot in her French class.2004, Annie Proulx, Bad Dirt, Fourth Estate, →ISBN, page 104
2. A surname.

Proper noun (2) capitalized: Honor

Honor

1. Former name of Honnavar (“Indian town”).