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Humble vs Bold - What's the difference?

humble | bold |

As adjectives the difference between humble and bold

is that humble is near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage or humble can be hornless while bold is courageous, daring.

As verbs the difference between humble and bold

is that humble is to bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate while bold is to make (a font or some text) bold.

As a noun bold is

(obsolete) a dwelling; habitation; building.

humble

English

(Webster 1913)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate.

Adjective

(er)
  • Near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage.
  • Thy humble nest built on the ground. -Cowley.
  • Thinking lowly of oneself; claiming little for oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 28 , author=Jamie Jackson , title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Rosol's 65 winners to Nadal's 41 was one of the crucial statistics in the 3hr 18min match that ended in a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph labelled a "miracle" by Rosol, who was humble enough to offer commiserations to Nadal.}}
    God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble . Jas. iv. 6.
    She should be humble who would please. -Prior.
    Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of our . . . religion we can never hope to be a happy nation. -Washington.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * humble plant * eat humble pie

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate.
  • Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues have humbled to all strokes. -Shak.
    The genius which humbled six marshals of France. -Macaulay.
  • To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to reduce the self-sufficiency of; to make meek and submissive; -- often used reflexively.
  • Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you. 1 Pet. Ch 5: v. 6.
    Derived terms
    * humbler (agent noun)
    Synonyms
    * abase, lower, depress, humiliate, mortify, disgrace, degrade

    Etymology 2

    Compare hummel.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • hornless
  • humble cattle

    bold

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) bold, from (etyl) bold, blod, bolt, .

    Alternative forms

    *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A dwelling; habitation; building.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) bold, bald, beald, from (etyl) bald, .

    Adjective

    (boldness) (er)
  • Courageous, daring.
  • *, chapter=22
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part. Thus outraged, she showed herself to be a bold as well as a furious virago. Next day she found her way to their lodgings and tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head.}}
  • * 2005 , (Plato), Sophist . Translation by Lesley Brown. .
  • It would be extraordinarily bold of me to give it a try after seeing what has happened to you.
  • (of a font) Having thicker strokes than the ordinary form of the typeface.
  • Presumptuous.
  • * 1748 , (David Hume), Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 9.
  • even the boldest and most affirmative philosophy, that has ever attempted to impose its crude dictates and principles on mankind.
    Synonyms
    * (courageous) audacious, brave, courageous, daring, forward * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make (a font or some text) bold.
  • (obsolete) To make bold or daring.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • (obsolete) To become bold.
  • (Webster 1913) ----