to deign
7
9.5
- verb
- /deɪn/
- Formal
:
dignarse
- After much hesitation, he deigned to accept the invitation to the party.
OK, so in the limited amount of Sex and the City that you did deign to watch, did you have a favorite character?
- OK, so in the limited amount of Sex and the City that you did deign to watch, did you have a favorite character?
- You know, this whole idea that it's this clubby elite group of celebrities who are deigning to speak with the great unwashed about the future of this country.
- She did not even deign to visit with the families of the three nine year olds old who were murdered at that Christian School.
Examples
-
Don't worry, I realize why you finally deigned to visit your old uncle.
-
Not that the Council had deigned to tell the rest of us until the last possible moment.
Fiction book (1997) -
If he ever deigns to pay us another visit.
-
I see only half my class have deigned to come today.
-
My cousin deigns to honor us with her presence.
-
I'm glad you deigned to show up.
Fiction book (1999) -
Martin Humphries had not deigned to meet her, but she knew whose place it was.
Fiction book (2001) -
Nobody in authority deigned to inform the British citizenry of this plot, not until the last moment.
Blog text (24) -
May I inquire how Her Imperial Highness deigns to feel this morning?
-
Vivaldi said nothing and deigned to pay attention to Montello.
Fiction book (1999)
Synonyms
11
8.1
To lower yourself by doing something you think is wrong
9
7.4
Do something you think is beneath your dignity
4
6.5
Act in a way that makes people respect you less
3
8.1
To do something you think is below you but do it anyway
Antonyms
How Condescending
7
7.8
- Formal
7
9.5
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word deign comes from an old Latin root dign meaning 'worthy', the same root as dignity. So to deign is to lower yourself to do something you think is not 'worthy' of you, often done unwillingly.