demur

demur
I. intransitive verb (demurred; demurring) Etymology: Middle English demuren, demeren to linger, from Anglo-French demurer, demoerer, from Latin demorari, from de- + morari to linger, from mora delay — more at mora Date: 13th century 1. archaic delay, hesitate 2. to file a demurrer 3. to take exception ; object — often used with to or at II. noun Date: 13th century 1. hesitation (as in doing or accepting) usually based on doubt of the acceptability of something offered or proposed 2. the act or an instance of objecting ; protest Synonyms: see qualm

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • demur — de·mur /di mər/ vi de·murred, de·mur·ring: to interpose a demurrer demur to the declaration de·mur·ra·ble adj Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • demur — vb Demur, scruple, balk, jib, shy, boggle, stick, stickle, strain are comparable when they mean to hesitate or show reluctance because of difficulties in the way. One demurs to or at something when one raises objections to it, casts doubt upon it …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • demur — meaning ‘to raise scruples or objections’ has inflected forms demurred, demurring. It is normally used in negative contexts and without a complement (When asked they did not demur), although it is occasionally followed by at or to (did not demur… …   Modern English usage

  • Demur — De*mur , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Demurred}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Demurring}.] [OF. demurer, demorer, demourer, to linger, stay, F. demeurer, fr. L. demorari; de + morari to delay, tarry, stay, mora delay; prob. originally, time for thinking, reflection …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Demur — De*mur , v. t. 1. To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The latter I demur, for in their looks Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. To cause delay to; to put off …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Demur — De*mur , n. [OF. demor, demore, stay, delay. See {Demur}, v. i.] Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple. [1913 Webster] All my demurs but double his attacks; At last he whispers, Do; and we go snacks.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • demur — ► VERB (demurred, demurring) ▪ raise doubts or objections; show reluctance. ► NOUN ▪ the action of demurring: they accepted without demur. DERIVATIVES demurral noun. ORIGIN Old French demourer, from Latin morari delay …   English terms dictionary

  • demur — (v.) c.1200, to linger, tarry, delay, from O.Fr. demorer delay, retard, from L. demorari to linger, loiter, tarry, from de (see DE (Cf. de )) + morari to delay, from mora a pause, delay, from PIE *mere . Main modern sense of raise objections is f …   Etymology dictionary

  • demur — [v] disagree balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw*, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot*, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take… …   New thesaurus

  • demur — [dē mʉr′, dimʉr′] vi. demurred, demurring [ME demuren < OFr demorer < L demorari, to delay < de , from + morari, to delay < mora, a delay < IE base * (s)mer , to remember > MEMORY] 1. to hesitate because of one s doubts or… …   English World dictionary

  • demur — v. (formal) (D; intr.) ( to object ) to demur at, to (to demur at a proposal) * * * [ dɪ mɜː] to (to demur at a proposal) (formal) (D; intr.) ( to object ) to demur at …   Combinatory dictionary

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