deign
[ deyn ]
/ deɪn /
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verb (used without object)
to think fit or in accordance with one's dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
verb (used with object)
to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply.
Obsolete. to condescend to accept.
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
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Origin of deign
1250–1300; Middle English deinen<Old French deignier<Latin dignārī to judge worthy, equivalent to dign(us) worthy + -ārī infinitive suffix
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH deign
deign , dineWords nearby deign
deific, deification, deiform, deify, Deighton, deign, Dei gratia, deil, Deimos, deindex, deindividuation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for deign
British Dictionary definitions for deign
deign
/ (deɪn) /
verb
(intr) to think it fit or worthy of oneself (to do something); condescendhe will not deign to speak to us
(tr) archaic to vouchsafehe deigned no reply
Word Origin for deign
C13: from Old French deignier, from Latin dignārī to consider worthy, from dignus worthy
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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