Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Demean?

\De*mean"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Demeaned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Demeaning}.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se d['e]mener to struggle; pref. d['e]- (L. de) + mener to lead, drive, carry on, conduct, fr. L. minare to drive animals by threatening cries, fr. minari to threaten. See {Menace}.] 1. To manage; to conduct; to treat. [Our] clergy have with violence demeaned the matter. --Milton. 2. To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. They have demeaned themselves Like men born to renown by life or death. --Shak. They answered . . . that they should demean themselves according to their instructions. --Clarendon. 3. To debase; to lower; to degrade; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. Her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's daughter. --Thackeray. Note: This sense is probably due to a false etymology which regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean.
\De*mean"\, n. [OF. demene. See {Demean}, v. t.] 1. Management; treatment. [Obs.] Vile demean and usage bad. --Spenser. 2. Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor. [Obs.] With grave demean and solemn vanity. --West.
\De*mean"\, n. [See {Demesne}.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.] 2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.] You know How narrow our demeans are. --Massinger.