| 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. |

deign (dān) 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.] |