humble

Etymology 1

From Middle English humble, from Old French humble, umble, humle, from Latin humilis (“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμαλός (khamalós, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus (“the earth, ground”), humi (“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate. Displaced native Old English ēaþmōd. The verb is from Middle English humblen (“to humble”).

adj

1. Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
   He lives in a humble one-bedroom cottage.
   17th century, Abraham Cowley, The Shortness of Life and Uncertainty of Riches The wise example of the heavenly lark. Thy fellow poet, Cowley, mark, Above the clouds let thy proud music sound, Thy humble nest build on the ground.
   Undoubtedly it can be said that the humble 0-6-0 has been the backbone for general service, or general utility on British railways right from their earliest days, and is likely to remain so. 1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 320
2. Having a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
   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. June 28, 2012, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in The Guardian, London

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of
2. (transitive, often reflexive) To make humble or lowly; to make less proud or arrogant; to make meek and submissive.
   And you say you've been humbled in love / Cut down in your love / Forced to kneel in the mud next to me September 27, 1979, Leonard Cohen (lyrics and music), “Humbled in Love”, in Recent Songs
   The final, quiet moments of the book return to Sten; his experience of his sick son humbles him, just as his aging body humbles him, and Boyle seems to suggest this makes him a better man. April 8, 2015, Dana Spiotta, “T. C. Boyle’s ‘The Harder They Come’”, in The New York Times

noun

1. (Baltimore, slang) An arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.
   You're on a corner in my district, it ain't gonna be about no humble, it ain't gonna be about no loitering charge, nothing like that. There gonna be some biblical shit happening to you on the way to that motherfucking jail wagon. October 17, 2004, Ed Burns, “Straight and True”, in The Wire, season 3, episode 5 (television production), spoken by Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom), via HBO
   Years ago, guys on Baltimore's streets would have, by definition, called an arrest for loitering a "humble." April 23, 2005, Gregory Kane, “'Jive humble' arrests help fill Central Booking's cell”, in Baltimore Sun
   A humble is a cheap, inconsequential arrest that nonetheless gives the guy a night or two in jail before he sees a court commissioner. You can arrest people on “failure to obey,” it’s a humble. Loitering is a humble. These things were used by police officers going back to the ‘60s in Baltimore. It’s the ultimate recourse for a cop who doesn't like somebody who's looking at him the wrong way. 2015-04-29, “David Simon on Baltimore’s Anguish”, in The Marshall Project

Etymology 2

From Middle English *humblen, *humbelen (suggested by humblynge (“a humming, a faint rumbling”)), frequentative of Middle English hummen (“to hum”), equivalent to hum + -le.

verb

1. (intransitive, chiefly obsolete) To hum.
   humbling and bumbling

Etymology 3

noun

1. (Northern England, Scotland, also attributive) Alternative form of hummel.
   humble cattle

verb

1. (transitive) Alternative form of hummel.