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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Demean \De*mean"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Demeaned}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Demeaning}.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F.
se d['e]mener to struggle; pref. d['e]- (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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Note: This sense is probably due to a false etymology which
regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean.
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Demean \De*mean"\, n. [OF. demene. See {Demean}, v. t.]
1. Management; treatment. [Obs.]
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Vile demean and usage bad. --Spenser.
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2. Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor. [Obs.]
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With grave demean and solemn vanity. --West.
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Demean \De*mean"\, 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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