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Deign

//deɪn// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To condescend; to do despite a perceived affront to one's dignity. intransitive

    "He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him."

  2. 2
    do something that one considers to be below one's dignity wordnet
  3. 3
    To condescend to give; to do something. transitive

    "Nor would we deigne him buriall of his men, / Till he diſburſed, at Saint Colmes ynch, / Ten thouſand Dollars, to our generall vſe."

  4. 4
    To esteem worthy; to consider worth notice. obsolete

    "Go, go, be gone, to ſaue your Ship from wrack, / Which cannot periſh hauing thee aboarde, / Being deſtin’d to a drier death on ſhore : / I muſt goe ſend ſome better Meſſenger, / I fear my Iulia would not daigne my lines, / Receiuing them from ſuch a worthleſſe poſt."

Etymology

From Middle English deynen, from Old French deignier (“consider worthy”), from Latin dignāre (“consider worthy”), from dignus (“worthy”). Cognate to dignity and French daigner.

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