Disgrace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disgraced; p. pr. & vb. n. Disgracing.]
Etymology: [Cf. F. disgracier. See Disgrace, n.]
1. To put out favor; to dismiss with dishonor. Flatterers of the disgraced minister. Macaulay. Pitt had been disgraced and the old Duke of Newcastle dismissed. J. Morley.
2. To do disfavor to; to bring reproach or shame upon; to dishonor; to treat or cover with ignominy; to lower in estimation. Shall heap with honors him they now disgrace. Pope. His ignorance disgraced him. Johnson.
3. To treat discourteously; to upbraid; to revile. The goddess wroth gan foully her disgrace. Spenser.
Syn. -- To degrade; humble; humiliate; abase; disparage; defame; dishonor; debase.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Disgrace, n.
1. The condition of being out of favor; loss of favor, regard, or respect. Macduff lives in disgrace. Shak.
2. The state of being dishonored, or covered with shame; dishonor; shame; ignominy. To tumble down thy husband and thyself From top of honor to disgrace's feet Shak.
3. That which brings dishonor; cause of shame or reproach; great discredit; as, vice is a disgrace to a rational being.
4. An act of unkindness; a disfavor. [Obs.] The interchange continually of favors and disgraces. Bacon.
Syn. -- Disfavor; disesteem; opprobrium; reproach; discredit; disparagement; dishonor; shame; infamy; ignominy; humiliation.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for disgrace; he lists it under abase, blemish, stain.
Where he writes about it:
To disgrace may be to bring or inflict odium upon others, but the word is chiefly and increasingly applied to such moral odium as one by his own acts brings upon himself; the noun disgrace retains more of the passive sense than the verb; he disgraced himself by his conduct; he brought disgrace upon his family. — from abase
Misfortune or injustice may abase the good; nothing but their own ill-doing can debase or disgrace them. — from abase