demur

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English

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WOTD – 11 September 2024

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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PIE word
*de

From Middle English demuren (“to delay; to linger; to remain (in office); to keep, retain (?)”),[1] from Anglo-Norman demorer and Old French demorer, demourer (“to remain, stay”) (modern French demeurer), from Vulgar Latin dēmorāre, from Latin dēmorārī, the present active infinitive of Latin dēmoror (“to delay, detain; to linger, tarry”), from de- (intensifying prefix) + moror (“to delay, detain; to hinder, impede; to linger, loiter”)[2] (from mora (“a delay; hindrance, obstacle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to fall into thinking; to remember”), probably referring to a time for thinking)[3] + -or (variant of -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)).

Verb

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demur (third-person singular simple present demurs, present participle demurring, simple past and past participle demurred)

  1. (intransitive)
    1. Chiefly followed by to, and sometimes by at or on: to object or be reluctant; to balk, to take exception.
      Synonyms: oppose, scruple
      I demur to that statement.
      The personnel demurred at the management’s new scheme.
      • 1639, Thomas Fuller, “Sanar Imploreth the Aid of King Almerick; a Solemn Agreement Made betwixt Them, and Ratified by the Magnificent Caliph”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book II, page 92:
        The Sultan […] deſiring him novv to ratifie them, and in demonſtration thereof to give his hand to the Kings Embaſſadours. The Caliph demurred hereat, as counting ſuch a geſture a diminution to his State; […]
      • 1775 January 17 (first performance), [Richard Brinsley Sheridan], The Rivals, a Comedy. […], London: […] John Wilkie, […], published 1775, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 14:
        My proceſs vvas alvvays very ſimple—in their younger days, 'tvvas 'Jack, do this;'—if he demur'd—I knock'd him dovvn—and if he grumbled at that—I alvvays ſent him out of the room.
      • 1876, Emelobie de Celtis [pseudonym; M. L. O’Byrne], “A Bold Enterprize—Hallinacor Retaken by Feich O’Byrne”, in The Pale and the Septs: Or, The Baron of Belgard and the Chiefs of Glenmalure. A Romance of the Sixteenth Century, volume II, Dublin: M[ichael] H[enry] Gill & Son, […], →OCLC, page 119:
        What! thou demurrest? I tell thee I'll be his surety, and thou hast my warrant.
      • 1878, “Postscript. In Reply to Certain Lucubrations of a Blacklead Pencil.”, in Peak Poesies, […], Manchester: […] by [Bradbury, Agnew, & Co. for] J. E. Cornish, […], →OCLC, page 147:
        Thou still demurrest? Read once more / The lines obnoxious to thy score, / And sure I am thou'lt find / There's not a passage in the book / Where, lesson'd thus, thou mayst not look, / Nor leave thy scrawls behind.
      • 1920, [Elizabeth von Arnim], “September 6th”, in In the Mountains, 1st American edition, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC, page 180:
        Work with my hands out of doors was the only thing I felt I could bear to-day. It wasn't the first time, I reflected, that peace has been found among cabbages. Antoine demurred, of course, but did at last consent to let me pick red currants.
    2. (law) To submit a demurrer (“motion by a party to a legal action for the immediate or summary judgment of the court on the question of whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defence, and hence whether the party bringing the motion is required to answer or proceed further”).
    3. (obsolete) To endure, to last.
    4. (obsolete) To linger, to tarry.
    5. (obsolete) To remain, to stay.
      Synonym: abide
    6. (obsolete) To suspend judgment or proceedings because of a difficulty or doubt; to put off the conclusion or determination of a matter; to delay, to hesitate, to pause.
      • a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC, page 106:
        [The Governor of Picardie and Chastilion of Newhaven said] there muſt be much vvaſt of time if the Engliſh ſhould lye at Guiſnes and the French at Ardes, and that the equality vvould be more, and the diſhonour to one of the ſides leſſe, if the entervievv ſhould be vpon the Frontires, then if one part ſhould be dravven into the territory of the other. Vpon this rubbe the Engliſh Embaſſadors thought fit to demurre, and ſo ſent into England to receiue directions from the Lords of the counſaile.
      • 1642 (indicated as 1641), John Milton, “That Those Many Sects and Schismes by Some Suppos’d to be among Us, and that Rebellion in Ireland, ought Not to be a Hindrance, but as Hastning of Reformation”, in The Reason of Church-governement Urg’d against Prelaty […], London: […] E[dward] G[riffin] for Iohn Rothwell, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 30:
        The doore of grace turnes upon ſmooth hinges vvide opening to ſend out, but ſoon ſhutting to recall the precious offers of mercy to a nation: […]. This is all vve get by demurring in Gods ſervice.
      • 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, book II, subsection 40 (His Condition Performed, and yet He Demurres), page 72:
        VVell, the VVeſt-Saxon King vvas quickly overcome, and all his Complices either killed, or conquered, and yet King Edvvine demurred to embrace Chriſtianity.
      • 1699, Richard Bentley, “A Dissertation upon the Epistles of Phalaris”, in A Dissertation upon the Epistles of Phalaris. With an Answer to the Objections of the Honourable Charles Boyle, Esquire, London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for Henry Mortlock […], and John Hartley […], →OCLC, page 516:
        [T]he Tyrant ſent the Bull for a Preſent to Delphi; and the Delphians demurring, vvhether they ſhould accept it or no, he makes tvvo Orations in Phalaris’s Name to perſuade them to receive it: […]
      • 1778, [Frances Burney], “Letter XIX. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars.”, in Evelina, or, A Young Lady’s Entrance into the World, volume II, London: […] T[homas] Lowndes, […], →OCLC, page 177:
        I aſſure you, Ma'am, you are the firſt lady vvho ever made me even demur upon this ſubject; […]
    7. (obsolete, rare) To have doubts; to be doubtful.
    8. (obsolete, figurative) Followed by upon: to be captivated or fixated; to dwell on, to linger.
  2. (transitive)
    1. (rare) To object or take exception to (something).
      • 1876, W[illiam] E[wart] Gladstone, “Homer and Hissarlik”, in Homeric Synchronism: An Enquiry into the Time and Place of Homer, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, part I, page 59:
        I demur the inference from these facts that Homer must have lived at some far later period, when he could have seen such works. Even if he had never seen any representations of life, his imagination might have conceived them.
    2. (obsolete) To cause delay to (someone or something); to put off.
      • 1613, Samuel Purchas, “[Asia.] The Iewish Passeouer, as They are Now Obserue It, and Other Their Feasts and Fasts.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimage. Or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages and Places Discouered, from the Creation vnto this Present. […], London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, book II [Of the Hebrew Nation and Religion from the Beginning thereof to Our Time], page 174:
        [The Jews believe that God] ſitteth in iudgement, and out of the books taketh reckoning of eurie mans life, and pronounceth ſentence accordingly. […] [T]he third, of the meane ſort, vvhoſe iudgement is demurred vntill the day of Reconciliation, (the tenth of Tiſri,) that if in the meane time they ſeriouſly repent them ſo, that their good may exceed their euill, then are they entred into the Booke of life; if othervviſe, they are recorded in the Blacke Bill of Death.
      • 1635, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Canto XI. Cant[icles] III. II.”, in Emblemes, London: […] G[eorge] M[iller] and sold at at Iohn Marriots shope […], →OCLC, book IV, stanza 4, page 226:
        I ask'd the Lavvyer; He demands a Fee, / And then demurres me vvith a vaine delay: […]
      • 1682, T[homas] d[’Urfey], “Canto I”, in Butler’s Ghost: Or, Hudibras. The Fourth Part. […], London: […] Joseph Hindmarsh, […], →OCLC, page 69:
        […] I ſvvear by yonder pole, / Nay by my fathers Rurall ſoul, / Henceforth to take a rougher courſe, / And, vvhat you vvould demur, to force.
    3. (obsolete) To have doubts or hesitate about (something).
      • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signatures Gg2, recto – Gg2, verso, lines 553–559:
        VVhat may this mean? Language of Man pronounc't / By Tongue of Brute, and human ſenſe expreſt? / The firſt at leſt of theſe I thought deni'd / To Beaſts, vvhom God on thir Creation-Day / Created mute to all articulat ſound; / The latter I demurre, for in thir looks / Much reaſon, and in thir actions oft appeers.
Conjugation
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Conjugation of demur
infinitive (to) demur
present tense past tense
1st-person singular demur demurred
2nd-person singular demur, demurrest† demurred, demurredst†
3rd-person singular demurs, demurreth† demurred
plural demur
subjunctive demur demurred
imperative demur —
participles demurring demurred

†Archaic or obsolete.

Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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From Middle English demure, demore (“a delay, demur; a sojourn, stay”),[4] from Old French demure, demore, demuere (“a delay, demur”) (modern French demeure), from Old French demorer, demourer (verb): see etymology 1.[5]

Noun

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demur (plural demurs)

  1. An act of objecting or taking exception; a scruple; also, an exception taken or objection to something.
    • 1647, Theodore de la Guard [pseudonym; Nathaniel Ward], The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America. […], London: […] J[ohn] D[ever] & R[obert] I[bbitson] for Stephen Bowtell, […], →OCLC, page 37:
      If publique Aſſemblies of Divines cannot agree upon a right vvay, private Conventicles of illeterate men, vvill ſoon finde a vvrong. Bivious demurres breed devious reſolutions. Paſſengers to heaven are in haſte, and vvill vvalk one vvay or other.
    • 1735 January 13 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1734), [Alexander] Pope, An Epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot, London: […] J[ohn] Wright for Lawton Gilliver […], →OCLC, page 4, lines 65–66:
      All my demurrs but double his attacks; / At laſt he vvhiſpers, "Do; and vve go ſnacks."
    • 1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, “Nicholas, accompanied by Smike, sallies forth to seek his Fortune. He encounters Mr. Vincent Crummles; and who he was is herein made manifest.”, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 212:
      Nicholas was not much disposed to sleep, being in truth too anxious, so after a little demur he accepted the offer, […]
    • 2004, Richard Fortey, “Plates”, in Earth: An Intimate History, London: HarperCollinsPublishers, →ISBN, page 161:
      Most geologists today would accept such evidence without demur, but it was still 'fringe' science when [Alexander] du Toit was publishing.
  2. (obsolete)
    1. An act of continuing; a continuance.
      • 1533 (date written), John Strype, “The Princess Mary. The King’s Appeal against the Pope. The Supremacy. Books Writ against the Pope’s Usurpations.”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 148:
        [G]ood People, living vvithin the Limits of true and lavvful Matrimony, ſhall not by Malice or ill VVill, be ſo long detained and interrupted from their Right, as in times paſt they have been: Neither unjuſt Matrymony ſhall have his unjuſt and inceſtuous demoure and continuance, as by delayes to Rome it is vvont to have.
    3. An act of lingering or tarrying.
      • 1679, Gilbert Burnet, “[A Collection of Records and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Former History.] Another Dispatch to the Ambassadours to the Same Purpose. A Duplicate.”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The First Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], →OCLC, page 61:
        [A]lbeit his Highneſs had cauſe, as the ſame vvrote, to marvel of your long demor, and lack of expedition of one or other of the things committed to your charge; yet did his Highneſs right vvell perſuade unto himſelf the default not to be in you, but in ſome other cauſe, […]
    4. An act of remaining or staying; a residence, a stay.
      Synonym: abode
      • 1673, John Ray, “Of Rome”, in Observations Topographical, Moral, & Physiological; Made in a Journey through part of the Low-countries, Germany, Italy, and France: […], London: […] John Martyn, printer to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 378:
        VVe ſavv this tovvn only in tranſitu, but it merited a little demurr.
    5. A state of having doubts; a hesitation, a pause.
      • 1683, William Temple, “Memoirs of what Pass’d in Christendom, from the War Begun 1672, to the Peace Concluded 1679. Chapter I.”, in The Works of Sir William Temple, […], volume I, London: […] J. Round, J[acob] Tonson, J. Clarke, B[enjamin] Motte, T. Wotton, S[amuel] Birt, and T[homas] Osborne, published 1731, →OCLC, page 379:
        The King told me, […] That I ſhould have the Character of Ambaſſador Extraordinary, and the ſame Allovvance I ſhou'd have had in Spain: Upon this Offer I made no Demurr, but immediately accepted it, and ſo my Ambaſſy vvas declar'd in May 1674.
    7. (law) Synonym of demurrer (“a motion by a party to a legal action for the immediate or summary judgment of the court on the question of whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defence, and hence whether the party bringing the motion is required to answer or proceed further”)
      • 1726, [Jonathan Swift], Cadenus and Vanessa. A Poem, London: […] J. Roberts […], →OCLC, page 9:
        [W]ith Rejoinders and Replies, / Long Bills, and Anſvvers, ſtuft vvith Lies, / Demurr, Imparlance, and Eſſoign, / The Parties ne'er could Iſſue join: / For Sixteen Years the Cauſe vvas ſpun, / And then ſtood vvhere it firſt begun.
Derived terms
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Translations
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References

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  1. ^ “dēmū̆ren, v.(1)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ^ Compare “demur, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2024; “demur, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  3. ^ “demur, v.”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
  4. ^ “dēmū̆re, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  5. ^ Compare “demur, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2024; “demur, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

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Latin

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Verb

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dēmur

  1. first-person plural present passive subjunctive of dō

Middle English

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Adjective

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demur

  1. Alternative form of demure (“demure”)
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