/deɪn/
OriginFrom Middle English deynen, from Old French deignier (“consider worthy”), from Latin dignāre (“consider worthy”), from dignus (“worthy”). Cognate to dignity and French daigner.
- intransitiveTo condescend; to do despite a perceived affront to one's dignity.
“He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him.”
“My fathers Palace, Madam, vvill be proud / To entertaine your preſence, if youle daine / To make repoſe vvithin.”
“THE MAJOR-DOMO. Caesar will deign to choose his wine? Sicilian, Lesbian, Chian——”
- transitiveTo condescend to give; to do something.
“Nor would we deigne him buriall of his men, / Till he diſburſed, at Saint Colmes ynch, / Ten thouſand Dollars, to our generall vſe.”
“He, who usually hardly deigned a glance at his infants, now lay gazing with inexpressible softness and sadness at the little sleeping face; […]”
“O LORD, Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish thy work in the souls of thy Apostles and disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me [”
- obsoleteTo esteem worthy; to consider worth notice.
“Go, go, be gone, to ſaue your Ship from wrack, / Which cannot periſh hauing thee aboarde, / Being deſtin’d to a drier death on ſhore : / I muſt goe ſend ſome better Meſſenger, / I fear my Iulia would ”
Formsdeigns(present, singular, third-person) · deigning(participle, present) · deigned(participle, past) · deigned(past)