Word: demur Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English demuren (“to delay; to linger; to remain (in office); to keep, retain (?)”), from Anglo-Norman demorer and Old French demorer, demourer (“to remain, stay”) (modern French demeurer), from Vulgar Latin dēmorāre, from Latin dēmorārī, the present active infinitive of Latin dēmoror (“to delay, detain; to linger, tarry”), from de- (intensifying prefix) + moror (“to delay, detain; to hinder, impede; to linger, loiter”) (from mora (“a delay; hindrance, obstacle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to fall into thinking; to remember”), probably referring to a time for thinking) + -or (variant of -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)). Pronunciation: /dɪˈmɜː/, /dɪˈmɜɹ/ 1. Chiefly followed by to, and sometimes by at or on: to object or be reluctant; to balk, to take exception. Labels: intransitive Example: I demur to that statement. Example: The personnel demurred at the management’s new scheme. 2. To submit a demurrer (“motion by a party to a legal action for the immediate or summary judgment of the court on the question of whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defence, and hence whether the party bringing the motion is required to answer or proceed further”). Labels: intransitive Example: He that demurreth in Law confeſſeth all ſuch matters of fact as are well and ſufficiently pleaded. Example: The plaintiff demurred, that is to say, admitted Sir Edward [Hales]'s plea to be true in fact, but denied that it was a sufficient answer. 3. To endure, to last. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 4. To linger, to tarry. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: The Eele is here, and in this hollow cave / You'll finde, if that our looks on it demurre, / A great wast in the bottome of his furre. 5. To remain, to stay. Labels: intransitive, obsolete 6. To suspend judgment or proceedings because of a difficulty or doubt; to put off the conclusion or determination of a matter; to delay, to hesitate, to pause. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: [The Governor of Picardie and Chastilion of Newhaven said] there muſt be much vvaſt of time if the Engliſh ſhould lye at Guiſnes and the French at Ardes, and that the equality vvould be more, and the diſhonour to one of the ſides leſſe, if the entervievv ſhould be vpon the Frontires, then if one part ſhould be dravven into the territory of the other. Vpon this rubbe the Engliſh Embaſſadors thought fit to demurre, and ſo ſent into England to receiue directions from the Lords of the counſaile. Example: The doore of grace turnes upon ſmooth hinges vvide opening to ſend out, but ſoon ſhutting to recall the precious offers of mercy to a nation:[…]. This is all vve get by demurring in Gods ſervice. 7. To have doubts; to be doubtful. Labels: intransitive, obsolete, rare 8. Followed by upon: to be captivated or fixated; to dwell on, to linger. Labels: figuratively, intransitive, obsolete 9. To object or take exception to (something). Labels: rare, transitive Example: I demur the inference from these facts that Homer must have lived at some far later period, when he could have seen such works. Even if he had never seen any representations of life, his imagination might have conceived them. 10. To cause delay to (someone or something); to put off. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: [The Jews believe that God] ſitteth in iudgement, and out of the books taketh reckoning of eurie mans life, and pronounceth ſentence accordingly. […] [T]he third, of the meane ſort, vvhoſe iudgement is demurred vntill the day of Reconciliation, (the tenth of Tiſri,) that if in the meane time they ſeriouſly repent them ſo, that their good may exceed their euill, then are they entred into the Booke of life; if othervviſe, they are recorded in the Blacke Bill of Death. Example: I ask'd the Lavvyer; He demands a Fee, / And then demurres me vvith a vaine delay: […] 11. To have doubts or hesitate about (something). Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: VVhat may this mean? Language of Man pronounc't / By Tongue of Brute, and human ſenſe expreſt? / The firſt at leſt of theſe I thought deni'd / To Beaſts, vvhom God on thir Creation-Day / Created mute to all articulat ſound; / The latter I demurre, for in thir looks / Much reaſon, and in thir actions oft appeers.