demean
1Demean — De*mean , n. [OF. demene. See {Demean}, v. t.] 1. Management; treatment. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Vile demean and usage bad. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] With grave demean and solemn vanity.… …
2Demean — De*mean , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Demeaned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Demeaning}.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se d[ e]mener to struggle; pref. d[ e] (L. de) + mener to lead, drive, carry on, conduct, fr. L. minare to drive animals by… …
3demean — lower in dignity, c.1600, perhaps from DE (Cf. de ) down + MEAN (Cf. mean) (adj.) and modeled on DEBASE (Cf. debase). Indistinguishable in some uses from obsolete demean (see DEMEANOR (Cf. demeanor)) which influenced it and may be its true source …
4demean — deport, comport, *behave, conduct, acquit, quit Analogous words: *carry, bear (as reflexive verbs) demean *abase, degrade, debase, humble, humiliate Contrasted words: heighten, enhance (see INTENSIFY): * …
5demean — ► VERB 1) cause to suffer a loss of dignity or respect. 2) (demean oneself) do something that is beneath one s dignity. DERIVATIVES demeaning adjective. ORIGIN from DE (Cf. ↑de ) + MEAN …
6demean — demean1 [dē mēn′, dimēn′] vt. [ DE + MEAN2, after DEBASE] to lower in status or character; degrade; humble [to demean oneself by taking a bribe] demean2 [dē mēn′, dimēn′] vt. [see DEMEANOR] to behave, conduct …
7Demean — De*mean , n. [See {Demesne}.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] You know How narrow our demeans are. Massinger. [1913 Webster] …
8demean — I (deport oneself) verb acquit, act, appear, bear, behave, carry, comport, conduct, convey the impression, create the impression, function, have the mien, leave the impression, look, manage, present oneself, present the appearance, quit,… …
9demean — [v] humble, humiliate abase, badmouth*, belittle, bemean, cast down, contemn, cut down to size*, cut rate, debase, decry, degrade, derogate, descend, despise, detract, dis*, disparage, dump on*, knock down*, lower, pan*, poor mouth*, scorn, sink …
10demean — I v. (formal) (D; refl.) ( to degrade ) to demean by (I will not demean myself by cheating on the examination) II v. (formal) (d; refl.) ( to behave ) (he demeaned himself like a gentleman) * * * [dɪ miːn] (formal) (D; refl.) ( to degrade ) to… …