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Glite Dictionary
😔 To bring shame 😔 Shame or disgrace 🏦 To refuse payment
to dishonor

to dishonor

1 7.2
To refuse to pay or accept a check
  • verb
  • /dɪsˈɒnər/
  • Specialized
: devolver (un cheque)
  • The bank decided to dishonor the check due to insufficient funds in the account.

Examples

  • After multiple bounced checks, the bank will dishonor any further requests for withdrawals.

  • If the institution dishonors your bill, you may have to seek alternate payment methods.

  • At the same time, the banking system was hit by a crisis from dishonored promissory notes, primarily by big firms unable to pay their debts.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Reportedly, credit cards expiring in 2000 cannot be accepted by some companies, warranties have been dishonored, and elderly hospital patients have been sent to children's wards.

    Academic text (1997)

Antonyms

to accept
∞ 1.0

To take something someone offers, for example a gift or invitation

to honor
  • Specialized
12 5.4

Accept and pay a check or bill when it is presented

Surface Forms

dishonor infinitive
dishonored past
dishonored past participle
dishonoring present participle
dishonors third person singular

Morphology

dishonor = honor (semi-transparent) = dis + honor

The negative prefixation is clear, but the banking sense of 'honor' = 'to pay/accept a cheque' is specialized and not obvious to all learners.

Etymology

To dishonor a cheque or payment comes from dis- 'not' plus honor 'to keep a promise or pay', so a bank 'dishonors' a cheque when it will not pay it.