English Explanatory Dictionary

deign

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to vouchsafe.
  2. To consider it appropriate or worthy to accept or take (something).
  3. Often followed by of: to consider (someone) as worthy of something; to dignify.
  4. To consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to think fit, to vouchsafe.

Pronunciation

/deɪn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-deign.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-deign.wav

Word forms

deign deigns deigning deigned no-table-tags glossary deignest deignedst deigneth

Etymology

From Middle English deinen, deynen (“to consider (something) suitable to one’s dignity or worth, condescend; to appear worthy; to condescend to grant (something), permit, vouchsafe; to regard (someone) as worthy; to consecrate, dedicate (something)”), from Old French daigner, degnier, deigner, deignier (“to condescend, deign”) (modern French daigner), from Latin dignāre, the present active infinitive of dignō (“to deem fitting, suitable, or worthy; to condescend, deign”), from dignus (“fitting, suitable, worthy; worthy of”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to perceive; to take”)) + -ō (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs). cognates * Italian degnare * Occitan deinar, denhar

Antonyms

disdain

Related words

deem dignity spare suffer

Derived words

dedeign

Translations

Belarusian: удастойваць Belarusian: удастоіць Bulgarian: благоволявам Bulgarian: снизхождавам Czech: uráčit se Czech: milostivě se uvolit Dutch: verwaardigen Finnish: alentua Finnish: suvaita Finnish: suoda French: daigner French: condescendre Georgian: აღირსა Georgian: იკადრა Georgian: ინება Georgian: ღირსად ჩათვალა Greek: καταδέχομαι Hungarian: kegyeskedik Hungarian: méltat Hungarian: méltóztat Hungarian: méltóztatik Italian: degnare Latin: digno Macedonian: удо́стои Macedonian: удосто́јува Macedonian: благо́воли Macedonian: по́вела Māori: tapatu Middle English: deynen Polish: raczyć Portuguese: dignar-se a Russian: снизойти́ Russian: соблаговоли́ть Russian: соизво́лить Russian: удосто́ить Serbo-Croatian: удо́стојити Serbo-Croatian: udóstojiti Spanish: dignarse
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