Definition of guilt
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: the fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty
A jury will determine the defendant's guilt or innocence.
broadly
: guilty conduct
2a
: the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously
His guilt was written in his face.
b
: feelings of deserving blame especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : self-reproach
3
: a feeling of deserving blame for offenses
Wracked by guilt, he confessed his affairs.
guilt
verb
guilted; guilting; guilts
Definition of guilt (Entry 2 of 2)
: to cause (someone) to feel guilty
Don't listen to Mommy. She's trying to guilt you.— Gary Shteyngart
: to persuade (someone) to do something by causing feelings of guilt
… guilting her to eat her own green beans because "there are starving children in Africa."— Katie Boerema
—often followed by into A far stronger compulsion is created when people think they're being watched, as a mildly impressive 86 percent of people were guilted into washing their hands in one study.— Steve Lipsher
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for guilt
The first known use of guilt was before the 12th century
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