Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- To debase; lower; lower the dignity or standing of; bemean.
- noun Dealing; management; treatment.
- noun Mien; demeanor; behavior; conduct.
- noun Same as
demain . - To lead; guide; conduct.
- To conduct; manage; control; exercise; do.
- Reflexively, to behave; carry; conduct.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To manage; to conduct; to treat.
- transitive verb To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
- transitive verb To debase; to lower; to degrade; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
- noun obsolete Demesne.
- noun obsolete Resources; means.
- noun obsolete Management; treatment.
- noun obsolete Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun
demesne . - noun
resources ;means . - verb To
debase ; tolower ; todegrade . - verb To
humble , humble oneself; tohumiliate . - verb To
mortify . - verb To
manage ; toconduct ; totreat . - verb To
conduct ; tobehave ; tocomport ; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. - noun archaic Management; treatment.
- noun archaic Behavior; conduct; bearing;
demeanor .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The fact that people choose to run for public office and put themselves out there for others to ridicule and demean is fascinating.
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Their favorite word seems to be "demean" - as in the governor is trying to demean them and their vocation.
Latest News Peter Grad 2010
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The argument here appears to be that because the amount of service our troops have performed shows that they are heroic, it would hence "demean" them to reduce that amount of service by giving them longer rest time -- because it would deprive them of more time to be heroic.
RNC Chair Martinez: Passing Troop-Rest Bill Would "Demean The Troops" 2009
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"They kind of demean Ann Coulter into becoming this unwomanlike thing."
Joseph Minton Amann and Tom Breuer: Media Drunk Tank: Officer O'Reilly 2009
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Just to savor this for a moment, consider that Martinez said above that it would "demean" the service of the troops to support Webb's measure, because we mustn't "say to them that there had to be a parity between the time in service out of the country and the time at home."
RNC Chair Martinez: Passing Troop-Rest Bill Would "Demean The Troops" 2009
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Dlamini-Zuma said it was very important not to "demean" the importance of this declaration.
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He said although he would "love to multiply" attendances by 100, it did not 'demean' the meeting.
Axe 'business development' spending, say residents (From Bucks Free Press) 2010
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He said although he would "love to multiply" attendances by 100, it did not 'demean' the meeting.
Axe 'business development' spending, say residents (From Bucks Free Press) 2010
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He said although he would "love to multiply" attendances by 100, it did not 'demean' the meeting.
Axe 'business development' spending, say residents (From This Is Local London) 2010
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Council convenor Helene Marsh, dean of graduate research at James Cook University, said the universities 'plans to badge professional masters qualifications as doctorates would "demean" the PhD.
yarb commented on the word demean
"Jolter, therefore, knowing his importance, informed his pupil of the directions he had received, and very candidly asked how he should demean himself in the execution..."
— Smollett, Peregrine Pickle
January 17, 2022