Search the Dictionary

Drawing of inferences. [Poetic] Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes And still conclusion. Shak.

ith an inferior; courtesy toward inferiors. It forbids pride . . . and commands humility, modesty, and condescension to others. Tillotson. Such a dignity and condescension . . . as are suitable to a superior nature. Addison.

te; strife in argument; controversy; debate; altercation. Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamors and brawling language. I. Watts.

Shrinking from approach or familiarity; reserved; bashful; shy; modest; -- usually applied to women, sometimes with an implication of coquetry. Coy, and difficult to win. Cowper. Coy and furtive graces. W. Irving. Nor the coy maid, half willings to be pressed, Shall kiss the cup, to pass it to the rest. Goldsmith.…

imson, they shall be as wool. Is. i. 18. A maid jet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty. Shak.

action at a particular time. Nor did Sabrina's presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities. W. Black.

per formality; becoming ceremony; seemliness; hence, freedom from obscenity or indecorum; modesty. Observances of time, place, and of decency in general. Burke. Immodest words admit of no defense, For want of decency is want of sense. Roscommon.

Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest.

times she dejects her eyes in a seeming civility; and many mistake in her a cunning for a modest look. Fuller.

Of sober or serious mien; composed and decorous in bearing; of modest look; staid; grave. Sober, steadfast, and demure. Milton. Nan was very much delighted in her demure way, and that delight showed itself in her face and in her clear bright eyes. W. Black.

In a demure manner; soberly; gravely; -- now, commonly, with a mere show of gravity or modesty. They . . . looked as demurely as they could; for 't was a hanging matter to laugh unseasonably. Dryden.

The state of being demure; gravity; the show of gravity or modesty.

Distrust of one's self or one's own powers; lack of self-reliance; modesty; modest reserve; bashfulness. It is good to speak on such questions with diffidence. Macaulay. An Englishman's habitual diffidence and awkwardness of adress. W. Irving.

nting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve. The diffident maidens, Folding their hands in prayer. Longfellow.

emoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, respect; ceremoniousness. I hope your modesty Will know what distance to the crown is due. Dryden. 'T is by respect and distance that authority is upheld. Atterbury.

Not confident; diffident; wanting confidence or thrust; modest; as, distrustful of ourselves, of one's powers. Distrustful sense with modest caution speaks. Pope.

Sober; prudent; sedate; modest. [Scot.] And this is a douce, honest man. Sir W. Scott.

Cast downward; directed to the ground, from bashfulness, modesty, dejection, or guilt. 'T is love, said she; and then my downcast eyes, And guilty dumbness, witnessed my surprise. Dryden. - Down"cast`ly, adv. -- Down"cast`ness, n.

r real; assumed or designed to deceive; counterfeit; hypocritical; as, false tears; false modesty; false colors; false jewelry. False face must hide what the false heart doth know. Shak.

the qualities of a woman; becoming or appropriate to the female sex; as, in a good sense, modest, graceful, affectionate, confiding; or, in a bad sense, weak, nerveless, timid, pleasure- loving, effeminate. Her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft and feminine. Milton. Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but alt…