Beshame or ashame

[Baldrick]

Hello there,

I was wondering whether the idiom is "beshame someone's trust" or "ashame someone's trust". I seem to recall that it's the former, but when I looked it up online I found no results to support that.

[emsr2d2]

Hello there,

I was wondering whether the idiom is "beshame someone's trust" or "ashame someone's trust". I seem to recall that it's the former, but when I looked it up online I found no results to support that.

I've never heard either phrase, and I've never heard the word "beshame" at all.

As far as I'm aware, you "abuse someone's trust" usually.

"Ashamed" is an adjective.

"I am ashamed of my actions" - I feel guilty.
I am ashamed of my shabby clothes" - I feel inferior due to my poor clothing.

[Baldrick]

I've never heard either phrase, and I've never heard the word "beshame" at all.

How very odd. I wouldn't know where exactly I could have gotten it from, then. I was dead certain that I had heard it somewhere once in a distant past, but I guess it's just my memory playing tricks on me, then.

As far as I'm aware, you "abuse someone's trust" usually.

This must have been what I was looking for. Thanks again.

[BobK]

Incidentally, if you make someone ashamed, you shame them; if, as a result of that feeling of shame, they are persuaded to do something, you have 'shamed them into' doing it. And if you do something that makes other people ashamed you 'bring shame on them': 'By doing this, you have not only betrayed my trust; you have brought shame on the whole family'.

b

[Baldrick]

Incidentally, if you make someone ashamed, you shame them; if, as a result of that feeling of shame, they are persuaded to do something, you have 'shamed them into' doing it. And if you do something that makes other people ashamed you 'bring shame on them': 'By doing this, you have not only betrayed my trust; you have brought shame on the whole family'.

b

Can it be said then that someone has "shamed your trust"?

[BobK]

No, because it's not the trust that has been shamed. 'Your breach of my trust has shamed you/brought shame on you and the whole family' - that would work.

b

[euncu]

***neither a teacher nor a native-speaker***

You can also tell a person "Shame on you!", if they have done something to be ashamed of.

[BobK]

Also 'You should be ashamed of yourself'.

b

[euncu]

Also 'You should be ashamed of yourself'.

b

I hope this wasn't meant for me.

It's also a shame that nobody's thanked you (but me) for your replies on this thread.

[Baldrick]

No, because it's not the trust that has been shamed. 'Your breach of my trust has shamed you/brought shame on you and the whole family' - that would work.

b

I see, so there is just no idiom with a form of "ashame" that has the same meaning as "abusing one's trust"?