dissemble

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin dissimulare.

Pronunciation [edit]

Verb [edit]

dissemble (third-person singular simple present dissembles, present participle dissembling, simple past and past participle dissembled)

  1. (transitive) To disguise or conceal something; to feign.
    • 1681, John Dryden, Absalom and Achitophel
      And like a lion, slumb'ring in the way,
      Or sleep-dissembling, while he waits his prey
  2. (transitive) To deliberately ignore something; to pretend not to notice.
  3. (intransitive) To falsely hide one's opinions or feelings.
    • XVII century, John Dryden, Cymon And Iphigenia; from Boccace
      While to his arms the blushing bride he took,
      To seeming sadness she composed her look;
      As if by force subjected to his will,
      Though pleased, dissembling, and a woman still.

Translations [edit]