English Explanatory Dictionary

dissemble

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To disguise or conceal something.
  2. To feign, dissimulate.
  3. To deliberately ignore something; to pretend not to notice.
  4. To falsely hide one's opinions or feelings.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈsɛmbəl/ [dɪˈsɛmbɫ̩] en-us-dissemble.ogg

Word forms

dissemble dissembles dissembling dissembled

Etymology

First attested in the beginning of the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English dissemblen, dissimblen, dissemelen, borrowed from Old French dessambler, dissembler, disembler, itself borrowed from Latin dissimulō and modified after sembler, semblance, etc. Doublet of dissimulate, dissimilate, and dissimule. Displaced native Old English mīþan.

Synonyms

disregard take no notice of brush off discount dissemble despise ignore misheed misregard neglect pass pass by pay no heed put aside set at nought shrug off slough tune out unheed unmind

Derived words

dissembler dissemblingly undissembled undissembling
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