deign
6 dictionary results for: deign
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
deign
[deyn] Pronunciation Key
[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.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| deign
(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.] |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
deign
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
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| deign | |
verb | |
| do something that one considers to be below one's dignity [syn: condescend] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Deign
Deign\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deigned; p. pr. & vb. n. Deigning.] [OE. deinen, deignen, OF. degner, deigner, daigner, F. daigner, fr. L. dignari to deem worthy, deign, fr. dignus worthy; akin to decere to be fitting. See Decent, and cf. Dainty, Dignity, Condign, Disdain.]1. To esteem worthy; to consider worth notice; -- opposed to disdain. [Obs.] I fear my Julia would not deign my lines. --Shak. 2. To condescend to give or bestow; to stoop to furnish; to vouchsafe; to allow; to grant. Nor would we deign him burial of his men. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Deign
Deign\, v. i. To think worthy; to vouchsafe; to condescend; - - followed by an infinitive. O deign to visit our forsaken seats. --Pope. Yet not Lord Cranstone deigned she greet. --Sir W. Scott. Round turned he, as not deigning Those craven ranks to see. --Macaulay. Note: In early English deign was often used impersonally. Him deyneth not to set his foot to ground. --Chaucer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Copyright © 2008, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.











