demur
verb /dɪˈmɜː(r)/
/dɪˈmɜːr/
[intransitive] (formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they demur | /dɪˈmɜː(r)/ /dɪˈmɜːr/ |
| he / she / it demurs | /dɪˈmɜːz/ /dɪˈmɜːrz/ |
| past simple demurred | /dɪˈmɜːd/ /dɪˈmɜːrd/ |
| past participle demurred | /dɪˈmɜːd/ /dɪˈmɜːrd/ |
| -ing form demurring | /dɪˈmɜːrɪŋ/ /dɪˈmɜːrɪŋ/ |
- (+ speech) to say that you do not agree with something or that you refuse to do something
- At first she demurred, but then finally agreed.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘linger, delay’): from Old French demourer (verb), demeure (noun), based on Latin de- ‘away, completely’ + morari ‘delay’.