Demean

De·mean′, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demeaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Demeaning.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se démener to struggle; pref. dé- (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.

De·mean′ (dē·mēn′), 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.

De·mean′, n. [See Demesne.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.]

2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.]

You know How narrow our demeans are. Massinger.