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(), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Demeaned (); p. pr. & vb. n.Demeaning.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se dmener to struggle; pref. d- (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. This sense is probably due to a false etymology which regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean. Demean" (), 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. Demean" n.[See Demesne.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.] 2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.] You know How narrow our demeans are. Massinger. スポンサード リンク
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