guilt

SayGILT/ɡɪlt/

Verbguilts, guilting, guilted

6 meanings of guilt

1
noununcountable
A bad feeling you get when you know you did something wrong.
Like a heavy weight you carry inside after doing something bad.
She felt a wave of guilt after lying to her best friend.
He couldn't sleep because of his guilt over the broken promise.
Similarremorse
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2
noununcountable
Being the one who is to blame for doing something wrong.
Like being the person whose name is on the broken window.
He admitted his guilt and said sorry to the whole class.
There was no doubt about the driver's guilt in the crash.
Similarculpability, responsibility, blame, fault
Oppositeinnocence
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3
noununcountable
In court, the fact that someone is found to have broken the law.
Like a referee deciding you broke the rules of the game.
The jury decided his guilt after two days of talks.
She entered a plea that admitted her guilt.
Similarculpability
Oppositeinnocence
Note
4
verbcolloquialtransitive
To make someone feel bad so that they do what you want.
Like making someone feel bad until they finally say yes.
She tried to guilt her brother into helping with the dishes.
Don't let them guilt you into paying for everything.
Similarshame, pressure
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Less common meanings

5
verbobsoleteintransitive
To break the law or do criminal things.
Note
6
adjectiveobsolete
Obsolete form of gilt. An old spelling meaning covered with a thin layer of gold.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–4

From Old English 'gylt', meaning guilt, sin, or crime. Its exact origin is not clear.

Meaning 5

From Old English 'gyltan', meaning to sin or be guilty, which came from 'gylt' (guilt, sin).