demur
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
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the act of making objection.
-
an objection raised.
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Law: Obsolete. a demurrer.
verb
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to raise objections or show reluctance; object
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law to raise an objection by entering a demurrer
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archaic to hesitate; delay
noun
-
the act of demurring
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an objection raised
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archaic hesitation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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demursimple
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demurssimple
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have demurredperfect
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has demurredperfect
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am demurringprogressive
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are demurringprogressive
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is demurringprogressive
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have been demurringperfect progressive
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has been demurringperfect progressive
Past
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demurredsimple
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had demurredperfect
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was demurringprogressive
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were demurringprogressive
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had been demurringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of demur
1175–1225; Middle English demuren < Anglo-French demurer, Old French demorer < Latin dēmorārī to linger, equivalent to dē- de- + morārī to delay, derivative of mora delay
Explanation
If your mother asks you to clean your room and you refuse, you demur. And if your friend invites you to the Death Metal Forever concert but you hesitate, you demur. Whether you object, politely disagree, or hesitate, you demur. If Aunt Tilly offers to knit you a sweater, you might politely demur, being reluctant to accept. When she describes the bunnies she plans for the sweater, you would want to strongly demur, explaining that you are moving to Texas next week and will no longer need sweaters. And if you find yourself the defendant in a civil suit, you might file a demurrer, objecting to the plaintiff’s complaint. When you file that demurrer, you also demur.
Vocabulary lists containing demur
To Kill a Mockingbird
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "D"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When their new neighbors asked where they were from, most would demur and say “Southern California” or “near Los Angeles.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2023
Dear Miss Manners: I understand and observe the rule that one should wait for everyone at the table to be served before one starts eating, unless the not-yet-served parties demur and urge others to eat.
From Washington Post • Apr. 25, 2022
Some, including former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have so far refused to demur, making speeches and traveling to key states that suggest they are strongly considering campaigns.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 28, 2022
But in other interviews I’ve read, you demur when asked to draw a direct line between your time in the public eye and Diana’s.
From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2021
Before they could demur, which was clearly their instinct, we thanked them profusely and climbed into the back seat.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
