respect
1re·spect
noun \ri-ˈspekt\Definition of RESPECT
1
: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation <remarks having respect to an earlier plan>
2
: an act of giving particular attention : consideration
3
4
: particular, detail <a good plan in some respects>
— in respect of
chiefly British : with respect to : concerning
— in respect to
: with respect to : concerning
— with respect to
: with reference to : in relation to
Examples of RESPECT
- He has earned their respect.
- The soldier saluted as a sign of respect.
- Despite our differences, I have enormous respect for him.
- I have a great respect for his accomplishments.
- I expect to be treated with respect.
- Your theory makes sense in one respect.
- The earth's crust floats over a core of molten rock and some of its parts have a tendency to move with respect to one another. —Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990
- Anyway any honor sent through the mail and cashable is about the only kind I got any great respect for … —Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
- Our ragged hero wasn't a model boy in all respects. I am afraid he swore sometimes, and now and then he played tricks upon unsophisticated boys from the country, or gave a wrong direction to honest old gentlemen unused to the city. —Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick, 1868
- The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought: still it had VERY long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect. —Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865
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Origin of RESPECT
Middle English, from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, from respicere to look back, regard, from re- + specere to look — more at spy
First Known Use: 14th century
Rhymes with RESPECT
abject, advect, affect, aspect, bisect, cathect, collect, confect, connect, convect, correct, cowl-necked, defect, deflect, deject, detect, direct, Dordrecht, effect, eject, elect, erect, ewe-necked, expect, goosenecked, infect, inflect, inject, insect, inspect, neglect, object, pandect, porrect, prefect, prelect, project, prospect, protect, refect, reflect, reject, resect, ring-necked, roll-necked, select, stiff-necked, subject, suspect, traject, transect, trisect, Utrecht, V-necked
2re·spect
transitive verb \ri-ˈspekt\Definition of RESPECT
1
a : to consider worthy of high regard : esteem b : to refrain from interfering with <please respect their privacy>
Examples of RESPECT
- The students respect the principal for his honesty.
- I respect what she has accomplished.
- You must learn to respect other people's property.
- We need to respect the environment.
- Many other critics respect her work, but marginalize her as “the best Polish woman artist” or “the best woman artist of Eastern Europe.” —Andrew Solomon, New York Times Book Review, 21 Aug. 1994
- He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. —Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado, 1846
- Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof … —The Constitiution of the United States of America
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Origin of RESPECT
(see 1respect)
First Known Use: 1560
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Previous Word in the Dictionary: respeak
All Words Near: respect
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