(German noun)Vicarious embarrassment, feeling shame for others' actions.

"from Proto-Germanic *framaþiz (“foreign, not one's own”) and German scham, shame"
—wiktionary

A handy little German word for which there's not an English equivalent. I think of it as being opposed to schadenfreude, which is taking pleasure at someone else's misfortune.

It's come up today as part of a conversation I'd had about the reports of Donald Trump releasing stinky if ironic farts during his Manhattan trial. Whilst several people were laughing at his expense, I was embarrassed for him and uncomfortable with the way the conversation was heading.

All in all, I reflect on the usefulness of so many German expressions that cover circumstances we simply have no words for in English, es tut meir leid being another.

I got the telephone call at approximately 8:15PM.

My father had passed away.

I had just seen him earlier in the day, in his assisted living residence, on hospice care. He had a full time care aide with him, and his facility had their folks coming in to see him frequently - more frequently than they were obliged to, he was (as I was told by more than one of them) popular with the staff.

I had left him around noon. My brother had brought his wife and youngest son over to say

In the movie “The Postman Always Rings Twice”, Lana Turner stands with her hands on her hips and snarls at John Garfield: I used to think the reason I fell for you was because you were smart. Now I find out that you are smart, she says. It’s a really great line in a really great film. I mention it here apropos of nothing. Or everything maybe. I get those two mixed up all the time.

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"Everything is