deign
To consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give, often when it is seen as beneath…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.
» He didn't deign to answer his mobile phone.
Meaning
4 senses(transitive)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.
(intransitive)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.
He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him.
снизойти́snizojtí, соблаговоли́тьsoblagovolítʹ, соизво́литьsoizvólitʹ
(obsolete, transitive)To consider it appropriate or worthy to accept or take (something).
(obsolete, transitive)Often followed by of: to consider (someone) as worthy of something; to dignify.
- do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
Examples
8 sentencesHe didn't deign to answer his mobile phone.
She would not deign to consider such an offer.
No one deigned to bring me a cup of tea.
Tom walked past Mary, but she didn't deign to look at him.
deTom ging an Maria vorbei, aber sie würdigte ihn keines Blickes.
Tom passed Mary by, but she didn't deign to look at him.
deTom ging an Maria vorbei, aber sie würdigte ihn keines Blickes.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English deinen, deynen (“to consider (something) suitable to one’s dignity orFrom 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).
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Forms
deigns, deigning, deigned, deignedSynonyms
2 synonyms- do something that one considers to be below one's dignity:condescenddescend
Antonyms
1 antonymsWord family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle