Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
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
