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Humble vs Poor - What's the difference?

humble | poor |

As adjectives the difference between humble and poor

is that humble is near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage while poor is with little or no possessions or money.

As a verb humble

is to bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate.

As a noun poor is

with "the" Those who have little or no possessions or money, taken as a group.

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

    poor

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • With little or no possessions or money.
  • :
  • Of low quality.
  • :
  • *, chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.}}
  • To be pitied.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Thanks to that penny he had just spent so recklessly [on a newspaper] he would pass a happy hour, taken, for once, out of his anxious, despondent, miserable self. It irritated him shrewdly to know that these moments of respite from carking care would not be shared with his poor wife, with careworn, troubled Ellen.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=15 citation , passage=Mr. Campion sighed. β€˜Poor man,’ he said. β€˜He sees his great sacrifices rejected by the gods, and so, no doubt, all the Misses Eumenides let loose again to plague him.’}}
  • Deficient in a specified way.
  • :
  • Inadequate, insufficient.
  • :
  • *(w) (1600-1666)
  • *:That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day.
  • Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek.
  • *(Bible), (w) v.3
  • *:Blessed are the poor in spirit.
  • Synonyms

    * (little or no possessions) impoverished, wealthless, * (of low quality) inferior * (to be pitied) pitiable, * See also * See also

    Antonyms

    * (having little or no possessions) rich * (of low quality) good * (deficient in a specified way) rich * (inadequate) adequate

    Derived terms

    * poor man's * dirt poor * house poor * land poor * piss-poor * poor as a church mouse * poor box * poorhouse * poor power * poor relation

    Noun

    (en-plural noun)
  • (with "the") Those who have little or no possessions or money, taken as a group.
  • The poor are always with us.

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----