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Humble vs Meek - What's the difference?

humble | meek |

As adjectives the difference between humble and meek

is that humble is near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage while meek is humble, modest, meager, or self-effacing.

As verbs the difference between humble and meek

is that humble is to bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate while meek is to tame; to break.

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
    Related terms
    * humbleness * humiliate * humiliation * humility

    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

    External links

    * * ----

    meek

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Humble, modest, meager, or self-effacing.
  • * 1848:
    • Mrs. Wickam was a meek woman...who was always ready to pity herself, or to be pitied, or to pity anybody else...
  • * "Blessed are the meek , for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)
  • Submissive, dispirited.
  • * 1920: , Main Street [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=surround&offset=432765822&tag=Lewis,+Sinclair:+Main+Street,+1920&query=+meek&id=LewMain]
    • What if they were wolves instead of lambs? They'd eat her all the sooner if she was meek to them. Fight or be eaten.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (US) (of horses) To .