verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/deɪn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
homophone: Dane (pane–pain merger)
rhymes with -eɪn
CMU ARPABET:D EY1 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to vouchsafe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To consider it appropriate or worthy to accept or take (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: disdain
3
verb
Meaning 3
Often followed by of: to consider (someone) as worthy of something; to dignify.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to think fit, to vouchsafe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: condescend, descend
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, move
History
Etymology
From Middle English deinen, deynen (“to consider (something) suitable to one’s dignity or worth, condescend; to appear worthy; to condescend to grant (something), permit, vouchsafe; to regard (someone) as worthy; to consecrate, dedicate (something)”), from Old French daigner, degnier, deigner, deignier (“to condescend, deign”) (modern French daigner), from Latin dignāre, the present active infinitive of dignō (“to deem fitting, suitable, or worthy; to condescend, deign”), from dignus (“fitting, suitable, worthy; worthy of”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to perceive; to take”)) + -ō (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs). cognates * Italian degnare * Occitan deinar, denhar
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
удастойваць
(udastójvacʹ)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Belarusian:
удастоіць
(udastóicʹ)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Bulgarian:
благоволявам
(blagovoljavam)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Bulgarian:
снизхождавам
(snizhoždavam)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Czech:
uráčit se
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Dutch:
verwaardigen
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Finnish:
alentua
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Finnish:
suvaita
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
French:
daigner
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
French:
condescendre
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Georgian:
აღირსა
(aɣirsa)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Georgian:
იკადრა
(iḳadra)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Georgian:
ინება
(ineba)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Georgian:
ღირსად ჩათვალა
(ɣirsad čatvala)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Greek:
καταδέχομαι
(katadéchomai)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Hungarian:
kegyeskedik
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Hungarian:
méltat
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Hungarian:
méltóztat
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Hungarian:
méltóztatik
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Italian:
degnare
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Latin:
digno
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Macedonian:
удо́стои
(udóstoi)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Macedonian:
удосто́јува
(udostójuva)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Macedonian:
благо́воли
(blagóvoli)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Macedonian:
по́вела
(póvela)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Māori:
tapatu
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Middle English:
deynen
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Polish:
raczyć
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Portuguese:
dignar-se a
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Russian:
снизойти́
(snizojtí)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Russian:
соблаговоли́ть
(soblagovolítʹ)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Russian:
соизво́лить
(soizvólitʹ)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Russian:
удосто́ить
(udostóitʹ)
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Serbo-Croatian:
удо́стојити
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Serbo-Croatian:
udóstojiti
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Spanish:
dignarse
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Swedish:
nedlåta
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Czech:
milostivě se uvolit
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Czech:
uráčit se
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Finnish:
suoda
— (transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
