deign
VerbWordNet 3.0
Verb (1)
- do something that one considers to be below one's dignitySynonyms: condescenddescend
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Deign \Deign\ (d[=a]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deigned (d[=a]nd); 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.] [1913 Webster]
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
2.To condescend to give or bestow; to stoop to furnish; to vouchsafe; to allow; to grant. [1913 Webster]
Nor would we deign him burial of his men.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Deign \Deign\, v. i. To think worthy; to vouchsafe; to condescend; - - followed by an infinitive. [1913 Webster]
O deign to visit our forsaken seats. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
Yet not Lord Cranstone deigned she greet. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
Round turned he, as not deigning Those craven ranks to see. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
Note: In early English deign was often used impersonally. [1913 Webster]
Him deyneth not to set his foot to ground.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]