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- Dictionarydeign/deɪn/
verb
- 1. do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity: "she did not deign to answer the maid's question"
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to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I'll be extremely surprised. Synonym. condescend to do something usually humorous. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Showing arrogance and conceit. (as) proud as Lucifer idiom. airs and graces idiom.
How to use deign in a sentence. to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that is involved : stoop; to condescend to give or offer… See the full definition
to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I'll be extremely surprised. Synonym. condescend to do something usually humorous. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Showing arrogance and conceit. (as) proud as Lucifer idiom. airs and graces idiom.
Deign means to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you. When threatened with the loss of her fortune, an heiress might deign to get a job, but she might look down her nose at the people she'd have to work with.
verb. If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it. [formal, disapproval] At last, Harper deigned to speak. [VERB to-infinitive] Weatherby didn't deign to reply. [VERB to-infinitive]
1. (intr) to think it fit or worthy of oneself (to do something); condescend: he will not deign to speak to us. 2. (tr) archaic to vouchsafe: he deigned no reply. [C13: from Old French deignier, from Latin dignārī to consider worthy, from dignus worthy]
Definition of deign verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Definitions of 'deign'. If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it. [formal, disapproval] [...] More.
What does the verb deign mean? There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb deign, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. Entry status. OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
DEIGN meaning: to do something that you think you should not have to do because you are too important usually followed by to + verb.
