Deign

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [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]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  deign
       v : do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
           [syn: {condescend}, {descend}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  40 Moby Thesaurus words for "deign":
     OK, accede to, accept, accord to, agree, agree to, approve,
     approve of, assent, be willing, concede, condescend, connive at,
     consent, consent to silently, descend, endorse, give consent,
     go along with, grant, have no objection, hold with, lower oneself,
     nod, nod assent, not refuse, okay, permit, ratify, sanction,
     say aye, say yes, stoop, take kindly to, vote affirmatively,
     vote aye, vouchsafe, wink at, yield, yield assent