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deign 
Audio Help [deyn] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [deyn] Pronunciation Key –verb (used without object)
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | to think fit or in accordance with one's dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us. |
| 2. | to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply. |
| 3. | Obsolete. to condescend to accept. |
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME deinen < OF deignier < L dignārī to judge worthy, equiv. to dign(us) worthy + -ārī inf. suffix]
] | Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
Deign
To learn more about Deign visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| deign
Audio Help (dān) Pronunciation Key
v. deigned, deign·ing, deigns v. intr. To think it appropriate to one's dignity; condescend: wouldn't deign to greet the servant who opened the door. See Synonyms at stoop1. v. tr. To condescend to give or grant; vouchsafe. "Nor would we deign him burial of his men" (Shakespeare). [Middle English deinen, from Old French deignier, to regard as worthy, from Latin dignārī, from dignus, worthy; see dek- in Indo-European roots.] |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
deign
1297, from O.Fr. deignier, from L. dignari "to deem worthy or fit," from dignus "worthy" (see dignity). Sense of "take or accept graciously" led to that of "condescend" (1589).
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| deign | |
verb | |
| do something that one considers to be below one's dignity [syn: condescend] |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
Deign
Con*dign"\, a. [F. condigne, L. condignus very worthy; con- + dignus worthy. See Deign, and cf. Digne.]1. Worthy; suitable; deserving; fit. [Obs.] Condign and worthy praise. --Udall. Herself of all that rule she deemend most condign. --Spenser. 2. Deserved; adequate; suitable to the fault or crime. "Condign censure." --Milman. Unless it were a bloody murderer . . . I never gave them condign punishment. --Shak.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Deign
Dain"ty\, n.; pl. Dainties. [OE. deinie, dainte, deintie, deyntee, OF. deinti['e] delicacy, orig., dignity, honor, fr. L. dignitas, fr. dignus worthy. See Deign, and cf. Dignity.]1. Value; estimation; the gratification or pleasure taken in anything. [Obs.] I ne told no deyntee of her love. --Chaucer. 2. That which is delicious or delicate; a delicacy. That precious nectar may the taste renew Of Eden's dainties, by our parents lost. --Beau. & Fl. 3. A term of fondness. [Poetic] --B. Jonson. Syn: Dainty, Delicacy. Usage: These words are here compared as denoting articles of food. The term delicacy as applied to a nice article of any kind, and hence to articles of food which are particularly attractive. Dainty is stronger, and denotes some exquisite article of cookery. A hotel may be provided with all the delicacies of the season, and its table richly covered with dainties. These delicacies I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, Walks and the melody of birds. --Milton. [A table] furnished plenteously with bread, And dainties, remnants of the last regale. --Cowper.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
deign
deign was Word of the Day on May 8, 2000.
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