humble

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++hum·ble1 /ˈhʌmbəl/ ●○○ adjective  1  MODESTnot considering yourself or your ideas to be as important as other people’s 谦虚的，谦卑的 OPP proud → humility a modest and humble man 一个谦卑的男人2  CLASS IN SOCIETYhaving a low social class or position 〔阶层或地位〕卑微的，低下的 He started his career as a humble peanut farmer. 他从一个卑微的花生农起家。humble background/origins etc Iacocca rose from humble beginnings to become boss of Ford. 亚科卡出身卑微，后来成了福特公司的总裁。3. in my humble opinion spokenTHINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT used humorously to give your opinion about something 愚以为，依拙见〔幽默用法〕4. my humble apologies British English spokenSORRY/APOLOGIZE used humorously to say you are sorry 是我的错〔幽默用法〕5  [only before noun]SIMPLE/NOT COMPLICATED simple and ordinary, but useful or effective 普通却有用的 The humble potato may be the key to feeding the world’s population. 小小的马铃薯却可能担起养活全世界人口的重任。6. eat humble pie SORRY/APOLOGIZEto admit that you were wrong about something 承认错误，赔礼道歉7. your humble servant British English old useTCM a formal way of ending a letter 您卑微的仆人〔信末的自谦词〕8  somebody’s humble abode someone’s house or apartment – used humorously 某人的陋室，某人的寒舍 〔幽默用法〕 Welcome to our humble abode. 欢迎光临寒舍。 —humbly adverb

Examples from the Corpus

humble• Taylor's students describe him as a humble and modest man.• The school had originally provided a good education for children of humble backgrounds.• From such humble beginnings in a remote Lincolnshire village he was, however, destined to make his impression on the world.• You may not realise, as you watch the humble caddie walk the fairways, how heavy that bag is.• Families cherished their forbears, whether these had lived in humble cottages or in manor houses.• Stephanie was humble enough to admit that others could probably do the job better than she could.• In later years the humble feast grew into a mysterious worship, about which we know little.• a humble house on a back street• He appears a rather humble man; but he expends considerable effort telling his full story.• Their father was a genuinely humble man, who had worked hard for his family all his life.• Eisenhower, Nixon, and Ford were all men of humble origins and no inherited wealth.• Scientists say the humble potato may be the key to feeding the world's fast-growing population.• He came down with a First and started his civil service career in the humble surroundings of the National Assistance Board.humble background/origins etc• Cooke could never forget his humble origins.• In the case of plumes, the evidence for how they look comes from humble origins.• She wanted university endowments to be used to fund poor preachers and scholars from humble backgrounds.• Sid was always fond of reminding his audience of darts' humble origins.• Social status, so quickly achieved, made the family unwilling in later years to acknowledge their very humble origins.• The list is bottomless, no doubt, but what about his humble origins?• Republican Presidents of the late twentieth century-Eisenhower, Nixon, Fordhad all been men of humble background and no inherited wealth.• A man of humble origins with little formal education, Mr Bérégovoy had always taken pride in his reputation for integrity.humble2 verb  1  be humbled MODESTif you are humbled, you realize that you are not as important, good, kind etc as you thought you were 感到谦卑，感到自惭 You can’t help but be humbled when you enter this cathedral. 进入这座大教堂，你会禁不住感觉到自己很渺小。2  [transitive]BEAT/DEFEAT to easily defeat someone who is much stronger than you are 〔轻易〕击败〔强敌〕 The mighty U.S. army was humbled by a small Southeast Asian country. 强大的美军被一个小小的东南亚国家轻易击败。3  humble yourself MODESTto show that you are not too proud to ask for something, admit you are wrong etc 作出谦恭的姿态，不耻下问；勇于认错 I knew he had humbled himself to ask for my help. 我明白他是放下架子来向我求助的。 —humbling adjective a humbling experience 令人谦卑的经历→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

humble• Swansea were humbled 41-10 by Leicester, while Cardiff lost 21-15 to Gloucester.• All those dreary councillors and their officious bureaucrats deserve to be humbled.• This is because balding has helped women humble and silence our male critics.• And making SROs profitable for private builders is a task that would humble Hercules.• Yet the school offered him nothing and lie had to humble himself to plead with me.• Yet I was awed, and even humbled in a way, to confront such an enemy.humbling experience• It will be a humbling experience all round.Origin humble1 (1200-1300) Old French Latin humilis “low, humble”, from humus “earth”

hum·ble1 adjectivehumble2 verbChineseSyllable  

yourself as ideas not be or to important considering your Corpus

humble

I

hum‧ble¹ /ˈhʌmbəl/ adjective1. not considering yourself or your ideas to be as important as other people’s
   OPP  proud ⇨ humility:
    a modest and humble man
2. having a low social class or position:
    He started his career as a humble peanut farmer.
    humble background/origins etc
    Iacocca rose from humble beginnings to become boss of Ford.
3. in my humble opinion spoken used humorously to give your opinion about something
4. my humble apologies British English spoken used humorously to say you are sorry
5. [only before noun] simple and ordinary, but useful or effective:
    The humble potato may be the key to feeding the world’s population.
6. eat humble pie to admit that you were wrong about something
7. your humble servant British English old use a formal way of ending a letter
8. sb’s humble abode someone’s house or apartment – used humorously:
    Welcome to our humble abode.
—humbly adverb
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ modest not wanting to talk about your abilities or achievements and to say that you are good at something, even when you are – used to show approval: Miller, a quiet, modest man, gave credit to Asher for the initial discovery. | She was surprisingly modest about her own achievements as a player.
   ▪ self-effacing written not wanting to talk about yourself or to attract attention: Her husband was a quiet, self-effacing man who spent much of his time in his study.
   ▪ unassuming not wanting to be noticed and not expecting to be treated in a special way: By now Chapman was famous, but he remained as unassuming as ever. | He then began, in typically unassuming fashion, to establish the first modern dance company.
   ▪ humble believing that you are not more important, better, or cleverer than other people, and therefore not expecting to be treated in a special way: A good leader is humble enough to get advice from experts.
   ▪ unpretentious not trying to seem better than other people, even if you are rich, famous, clever etc: President Eisenhower was a friendly and unpretentious man who seemed to embody American virtues. | It's his unpretentious boyish charm that ensures Jackie Chan's position as one of the giants of international cinema.
   ▪ self-deprecating written behaving or talking about your own abilities or achievements in a way that makes them seem unimportant: Despite his intellect, he had an appealing self-deprecating humour. | The nice thing about him is his self-deprecating manner. His intellectual ability was never pushed at you, yet he obviously had great potential. | a self-deprecating smile

II

humble² verb
1. be humbled if you are humbled, you realize that you are not as important, good, kind etc as you thought you were:
    You can’t help but be humbled when you enter this cathedral.
2. [transitive] to easily defeat someone who is much stronger than you are:
    The mighty U.S. army was humbled by a small Southeast Asian country.
3. humble yourself to show that you are not too proud to ask for something, admit you are wrong etc:
    I knew he had humbled himself to ask for my help.
—humbling adjective:
    a humbling experience