Demean (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demeaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Demeaning.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se démener to struggle; pref. dé- (L. de) + mener to lead, drive, carry on, conduct, fr. L. minare to drive animals by threatening cries, fr. minari to threaten. See Menace.] 1. To manage; to conduct; to treat.
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[Our] clergy have with violence demeaned the matter. Milton.
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2. To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
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They have demeaned themselves
Like men born to renown by life or death. Shak.
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They answered . . . that they should demean themselves according to their instructions. Clarendon.
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3. To debase; to lower; to degrade; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
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Her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's daughter. Thackeray.
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&hand_; This sense is probably due to a false etymology which regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean.
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Demean, n. [See Demesne.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.]
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2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.]
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You know
How narrow our demeans are. Massinger.
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