De*mean" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demeaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Demeaning.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se d'emener 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.
[Our] clergy have with violence demeaned the matter.
Milton.
2.
To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
They have demeaned themselves
Like men born to renown by life or death.
Shak.
They answered . . . that they should demean themselves according to their instructions.
Clarendon.
3.
To debase; to lower; to degrade; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.
Her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's daughter.
Thackeray.
⇒ This sense is probably due to a false etymology which regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean.
© Webster 1913.
De*mean" (?), n. [OF. demene. See Demean, v. t.]
1.
Management; treatment.
[Obs.]
Vile demean and usage bad.
Spenser.
2.
Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor.
[Obs.]
With grave demean and solemn vanity.
West.
© Webster 1913.
De*mean", n. [See Demesne.]
1.
Demesne.
[Obs.]
2. pl.
Resources; means.
[Obs.]
You know
How narrow our demeans are.
Massinger.
© Webster 1913.