Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To do something that one considers beneath one's dignity; condescend: synonym: stoop.
- intransitive verb To condescend to give or grant; vouchsafe.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To think worthy; think well of; think worthy of acceptance.
- To grant or permit, as by condescension or favor.
- To vouchsafe; condescend: with an infinitive for object.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb obsolete To esteem worthy; to consider worth notice; -- opposed to
disdain . - transitive verb To condescend to give or bestow; to stoop to furnish; to vouchsafe; to allow; to grant.
- intransitive verb To think worthy; to vouchsafe; to condescend; - - followed by an infinitive.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb intransitive To
condescend ; to accept as appropriate to one'sdignity . - verb transitive To condescend to give; to do something.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Is the word deign used correctly here: Did the guy actually think he would deign that question with a response?
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An American Dictionary of the English Language, s.v., "deign," second listing).
Latest Articles Temple Study 2009
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It could be that religious believers deign to tolerate other religions purely for self-preservation, calculating that since no single religion has majority status it is best to grant a full measure of liberty to other faiths, to ensure maximum liberty for oneself.
American Grace Robert D. Putnam 2010
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Well, Serena Williams is held in awe by nearly all her peers, especially the Americans, but they do not all deign to approach the grand dame of tennis.
Australian Open 2012 diary: Craving the word of her Serena majesty 2012
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This was in part because I, too, would never deign to like a fat guy.
Ask Professor Foxy: Does My Size and Not Flirting Keep Me Alone? - Feministing 2009
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Republican, on the other hand, filibustered and blocked the bill, which attempted to address an issue of major concern to Americans and major importance to the U.S. economy — an issue the GOP's "Pledge to America" doesn't even deign to mention.
Terrance Heath: A Pledge To 1% of America Terrance Heath 2010
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Republican, on the other hand, filibustered and blocked the bill, which attempted to address an issue of major concern to Americans and major importance to the U.S. economy — an issue the GOP's "Pledge to America" doesn't even deign to mention.
Terrance Heath: A Pledge To 1% of America Terrance Heath 2010
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In order to enjoy housing, shopping and services considered average in other parts of the country—clerks that deign to acknowledge your existence, for instance—we have to pay extra.
Slices Priced to Sell Anne Kadet 2011
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If Strauss would deign to look at any of the research out of The New Teacher Project, or The Education Trust, she would see this.
Mimi Carter: Message to Education Bloggers: Stop Blaming Obama and Start Focusing on Real Issues Mimi Carter 2010
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Inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks have become the norm when "experts" deign to acknowledge sex worker activists.
Monica Shores: Prostitution "Experts" Versus Prostitutes: Why Don't All Sex Workers Deserve a Voice? Monica Shores 2010
slumry commented on the word deign
A word with an interesting history--it went from "accept graciously" to the current meaning of "condescend."
July 17, 2007
garyth123 commented on the word deign
condescend
March 14, 2009
dailyword commented on the word deign
This word was used in "Black Hawk Down."
June 10, 2012