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demean

   Also found in: Legal 0.01 sec.
de·mean 1  (d-mn)
tr.v. de·meaned, de·mean·ing, de·means
To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner: demeaned themselves well in class.

[Middle English demeinen, to govern, from Old French demener : de-, de- + mener, to conduct (from Latin minre, to drive (animals), from minr, to threaten, from minae, threats; see men-2 in Indo-European roots).]

de·mean 2  (d-mn)
tr.v. de·meaned, de·mean·ing, de·means
1. To debase, as in dignity or social standing: professionals who feel demeaned by unskilled work.
2. To humble (oneself). See Synonyms at degrade.

[de- + mean.]

de·meaning·ly adv.

demean1
vb
(tr) to lower (oneself) in dignity, status, or character; humble; debase
[see de-, mean2; on the model of debase]

demean2
vb
(tr) Rare to behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified way
[from Old French demener, from de- + mener to lead, drive, from Latin mināre to drive (animals), from minārī to use threats]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.demean - reduce in worth or character, usually verbally; "She tends to put down younger women colleagues"; "His critics took him down after the lecture"
abase, chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify - cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss"
reduce - lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation; "She reduced her niece to a servant"
dehumanise, dehumanize - deprive of human qualities; "Life in poverty has dehumanized them"

demean
verb degrade, lower, debase, humble, abase Pornography demeans women.
demean yourself lower yourself, humiliate yourself, humble yourself, debase yourself, downgrade yourself, abase yourself, belittle yourself, degrade yourself I wasn't going to demean myself by answering him.
Translations
demean [dɪˈmiːn] VTdegradar
to demean o.srebajarse, degradarse
demean [dɪˈmiːn] vt (= degrade) to demean o.s. → s'abaisser
demean
vr
(= lower)sich erniedrigen; I will not demean myself by doing thatich werde mich nicht dazu hergeben, das zu tun
(= behave)sich benehmen or verhalten
demean [dɪˈmiːn] vtsvilire
to demean o.s → abbassarsi
demean [dɪˈmiːn] vtsvilire
to demean o.s → abbassarsi


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Here Don Quixote joined them; and learning what passed, and how soon Sancho was to go to his government, he with the duke's permission took him by the hand, and retired to his room with him for the purpose of giving him advice as to how he was to demean himself in his office.
Balashev began to feel uncomfortable: as envoy he feared to demean his dignity and felt the necessity of replying; but, as a man, he shrank before the transport of groundless wrath that had evidently seized Napoleon.
Think you that a thern would demean himself by labour?
 
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