deraign

English

Alternative forms

• darrayne
• derain

Etymology

From Old French deraisnier (“to explain, defend, to maintain in legal action by proof and reasonings”), from Late Latin derationare (“to discourse, contend in law”).

Verb

deraign (third-person singular simple present deraigns, present participle deraigning, simple past and past participle deraigned)

1. (law, obsolete, transitive) To prove or to refute by proof, especially on threat of combat.
2. (obsolete) To engage in (battle, combat etc.).
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.iv:

     Therewith they gan to hurtlen greedily, / Redoubted battaile ready to darrayne, / And clash their shields, and shake their swords on hy [...].

Usage notes

Not to be confused with darrein.

Related terms

• darrain

Anagrams

• Dearing, Reading, gradine, grained, inraged, reading