demean

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to lower in dignity or status; to debase

   He refused to demean himself with such petty gossip.

In the sense 'to debase', a 17th-century formation from de- ('down') plus mean ('low, base'). A distinct older verb demean ('to conduct oneself') came from Old French demener ('to lead, conduct'), from Latin minare ('to drive').

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