Deign [Verb]

Sentence: The administration refuses to accept judicial review (from a FISA-style court, say) prior to a strike directed at an American citizen, and won’t deign to release the legal documents written to justify the targeted killing program. (Source: takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com)

Meaning: To have to do something that one considers below one’s dignity

How To Remember?

Remember the word: “Reign“. If you are reigning, you can do as you like. You would not have to do things that you consider are below your dignity or standard. But you are not reigning, you would have to deign. That is, you would have to do things that are well below your dignity. Sorry. (Click here to understand the context better.)

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Picture Credit: homegrown.co.in

[Manual scavengers in India have to deign day in, day out. The work that they do is important. But this is something that no one should have to do given the technology we have today and the times that we live in. Think about it.]

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