French word

daigner

Pronunciation

IPA/deɲe/

Meaning

  • verbdeign

Example

Ils ont daigné accepter l'invitation.

They deigned to accept the invitation.

Illustration for daigner (deign)

More examples

Il a daigné accepter mon aide.

He deigned to accept my help.

Core concept

A person treats a requested action as beneath them but agrees to perform it.

Similar words

accepter: Accept an offer or proposal as presented.
se résigner: Accept an unwanted situation as unavoidable.
céder: Yield to another's demand and withdraw one's own.

Definition in French

Accomplir ou accepter quelque chose à contrecœur en laissant entendre qu'on le fait par supériorité ou condescendance.

Word origin

The verb derives from Old French daignier and Latin dignari, 'to deem worthy', with the modern meaning suggesting that the action barely seems worthy of the subject.

Usage tips

  • Daigner normally takes an infinitive, as in daigner répondre or daigner accepter, rather than an ordinary direct object for the action.

Opposites

Word lists with this word