Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To feel or show deferential regard for; esteem or admire.
  • transitive verb To avoid interfering with or intruding upon.
  • transitive verb To avoid violating.
  • transitive verb To relate or refer to; concern.
  • noun A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem: synonym: regard.
  • noun The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.
  • noun Consideration or appreciation.
  • noun Due regard for something considered important or authoritative.
  • noun Polite expressions of consideration, deference, or condolence.
  • noun A particular aspect, feature, or detail.
  • noun Usage Problem Relation; reference.
  • idiom (in respect of) With respect to.
  • idiom (with/in) In reference or relation to; concerning.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To look toward; front upon or in the direction of.
  • To postpone; respite.
  • To notice with especial attention; regard as worthy of particular notice; regard; heed; consider; care for; have regard to in design or purpose.
  • To have reference or regard to; relate to.
  • To hold in esteem, regard, or consideration; regard with some degree of reverence: as, to respect womanhood; hence, to refrain from interference with: as, to respect one's privacy.
  • Synonyms To honor, revere, venerate. See esteem, n.
  • noun The act of looking at or regarding, or noticing with attention; regard; attention.
  • noun Deliberation; reflection; consideration.
  • noun Circumspect behavior or deportment; decency.
  • noun The feeling of esteem, regard, or consideration excited by the contemplation of personal worth, dignity, or power; also, a similar feeling excited by corresponding attributes in things.
  • noun Courteous or considerate treatment; that which is due, as to personal worth or power.
  • noun plural Expression or sign of esteem, deference, of compliment: as, to pay one's respects to the governor; please give him my respects.
  • noun Good will; favor.
  • noun Partial regard; undue bias; discrimination for or against some one.
  • noun Reputation; repute.
  • noun Consideration; motive.
  • noun Point or particular; matter; feature; point of view.
  • noun Relation; regard; reference: used especially in the phrase in or with respect to (or of).
  • noun In consideration of.
  • noun In point of; in regard to.
  • noun Synonyms Estimate, Estimation, etc. See esteem.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To take notice of; to regard with special attention; to regard as worthy of special consideration; hence, to care for; to heed.
  • transitive verb To consider worthy of esteem; to regard with honor.
  • transitive verb obsolete To look toward; to front upon or toward.
  • transitive verb obsolete To regard; to consider; to deem.
  • transitive verb To have regard to; to have reference to; to relate to.
  • transitive verb as regards; with regard to; as to.
  • transitive verb to favor a person, or persons on corrupt grounds; to show partiality.
  • noun The act of noticing with attention; the giving particular consideration to; hence, care; caution.
  • noun Esteem; regard; consideration; honor.
  • noun An expression of respect of deference; regards.
  • noun obsolete Reputation; repute.
  • noun Relation; reference; regard.
  • noun Particular; point regarded; point of view

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English, regard, from Old French, from Latin respectus, from past participle of respicere, to look back at, regard : re-, re- + specere, to look at; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin respectus ("respect, regard"), perfect passive participle of respiciō ("look at, look back upon, respect"), from re- ("back") + speciō ("look at").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word respect.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.