What does the word "respect" mean?

What does it exactly mean when you say you respect someone? Is it more related to admiration/liking or awe/obedience to authority? Has it to do more with how a person acts or what does he or she accomplish?

Let's say you have two teachers. One is kindhearted, nice and wants to stay on good terms with his or her students but he or she also makes compromises to avoid conflicts. Another is strict, asserting authority, keeps his or her distance, gets his or her job done by making people study harder but in hearts of students evokes rather feelings of awe than trust.

According to you, is the word respect more applicable to the first or the second case?

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Mugin16 · 46-50, M

For me, you give respect is what you give to somebody for his stance or effort he or she makes. Even if you don't agree with him or her.

In your example, I would certainly have respect for the second person. I might like the first person better but I would respect the second person more.

CrazyMusicLover · 31-35

@Mugin16 I feel the same but somehow I feel it's not completely right. For me, respect must be earned and you don't earn it by simply being kind, especially not if you make concessions to avoid conflicts. But on the other hand, the strict teacher should always stay civil and just, otherwise my respect would become fake. It would only be respect on the outside and obedience out of fear in the inside. That's not true respect if you think their behaviour is morally wrong.

I always think about the movie Whiplash when thinking about respect in student-teacher relationships and can't decide how to perceive teachers like that. Have you seen it?

Mugin16 · 46-50, M

@CrazyMusicLover No, I have not. I don't watch many movies.