demean

1 of 2

verb (1)

de·mean di-ˈmēn How to pronounce demean (audio)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to lower in character, status, or reputation

careful not to demean his opponent

demeaning the seriousness of the problem

demean

2 of 2

verb (2)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner

… he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do …

Henry James †1916

Did you know?

There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase

Verb (2)

Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory

Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings.

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

demeans 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of demean

as in degrades

to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

degrades
humiliates
subverts
weakens
debases
dilutes
corrupts
deteriorates
cheapens
disgraces
destroys
debauches
poisons
shames
perverts
damages
pollutes
demoralizes
bastardizes
lessens
depraves
vitiates
prostitutes
profanes
taints
humbles
cankers
ruins
abases
impairs
dishonors
mars
warps
harms
thins
contaminates
hurts
dirties
defiles
tarnishes
wrecks
waters down
flaws
spoils
defaces
begrimes
befouls
depreciates
descends
stains
downgrades
blemishes
takes down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ennobles
elevates
uplifts
exalts
dignifies
improves
enhances
enriches
honors
ameliorates
restores
refines
clarifies
perfects
cleans
amends
respects
betters
purifies
cleanses
meliorates

as in humiliates

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work

Synonyms & Similar Words

humiliates
discredits
embarrasses
degrades
shames
dishonors
debases
humbles
disgraces
confuses
cheapens
insults
abases
diminishes
chastens
criticizes
rattles
lowers
belittles
ridicules
disparages
detracts
minimizes
takes down
mortifies
sinks
maligns
fouls
defames
flusters
confounds
smirches
disconcerts
condemns
decries
depreciates
discomfits
slanders
castigates
defiles
discounts
affronts
fazes
libels
denounces
abashes
discountenances
bad-mouths
nonplusses
nonpluses
damns
censures
writes off
cries down
puts down
execrates
reprehends
reprobates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exalts
elevates
deifies
aggrandizes
commends
celebrates
recognizes
acknowledges
applauds
cites
extols
boasts
lauds
decorates
canonizes
congratulates
honors
praises
salutes
hails
cheers
touts
eulogizes
compliments
extolls
dignifies
acclaims
ennobles
promotes
glorifies
highlights
enshrines
fetes
magnifies
uplifts
spotlights
advances
raises
lifts
enthrones
boosts
idealizes
romanticizes
fêtes
upgrades
plays up
enskies

demeans

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of demean

as in behaves

to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

behaves
carries
acquits
restrains
conducts
composes
contains
handles
comports
inhibits
constrains
deports
collects
represses
quits
modulates
bears
plays
quiets
curbs
controls
checks
acts
impersonates
tempers
moderates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misbehaves
misconducts
carries on
cuts up
acts up

单词	demeans
释义	demean 1 of 2 verb (1) de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to lower in character, status, or reputation careful not to demean his opponent demeaning the seriousness of the problem demean 2 of 2 verb (2) demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner … he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do … Henry James †1916 Did you know? There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean. Synonyms Verb (1) abase bastardize canker cheapen corrupt debase debauch degrade demoralize deprave deteriorate lessen pervert poison profane prostitute subvert vitiate warp Verb (2) acquit bear behave carry comport conduct deport quit See all Synonyms & Antonyms Word History Etymology Verb (1) de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase Verb (2) Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings. First Known Use Verb (1) 1601, in the meaning defined above Verb (2) 14th century, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition demean 1 of 2 verb de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning : behave sense 2 He demeaned himself like a gentleman. demean 2 of 2 verb demeaned; demeaning : to lower in character or dignity She feels that such work demeans her. demeans 1 of 2 verb (1) present tense third-person singular of demean 1 as in degrades to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance degrades humiliates subverts weakens debases dilutes corrupts deteriorates cheapens disgraces destroys debauches poisons shames perverts damages pollutes demoralizes bastardizes lessens depraves vitiates prostitutes profanes taints humbles cankers ruins abases impairs dishonors mars warps harms thins contaminates hurts dirties defiles tarnishes wrecks waters down flaws spoils defaces begrimes befouls depreciates descends stains downgrades blemishes takes down Antonyms & Near Antonyms ennobles elevates uplifts exalts dignifies improves enhances enriches honors ameliorates restores refines clarifies perfects cleans amends respects betters purifies cleanses meliorates See More 2 as in humiliates to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work Synonyms & Similar Words humiliates discredits embarrasses degrades shames dishonors debases humbles disgraces confuses cheapens insults abases diminishes chastens criticizes rattles lowers belittles ridicules disparages detracts minimizes takes down mortifies sinks maligns fouls defames flusters confounds smirches disconcerts condemns decries depreciates discomfits slanders castigates defiles discounts affronts fazes libels denounces abashes discountenances bad-mouths nonplusses nonpluses damns censures writes off cries down puts down execrates reprehends reprobates Antonyms & Near Antonyms exalts elevates deifies aggrandizes commends celebrates recognizes acknowledges applauds cites extols boasts lauds decorates canonizes congratulates honors praises salutes hails cheers touts eulogizes compliments extolls dignifies acclaims ennobles promotes glorifies highlights enshrines fetes magnifies uplifts spotlights advances raises lifts enthrones boosts idealizes romanticizes fêtes upgrades plays up enskies See More demeans 2 of 2 verb (2) present tense third-person singular of demean as in behaves to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit Synonyms & Similar Words behaves carries acquits restrains conducts composes contains handles comports inhibits constrains deports collects represses quits modulates bears plays quiets curbs controls checks acts impersonates tempers moderates Antonyms & Near Antonyms misbehaves misconducts carries on cuts up acts up
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demean

verb (1)

verb (2)

Did you know?

Synonyms

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

verb (1)

verb (2)