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The demesne lands of a manor; also, the manor itself. [Eng.] Burton.

To demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by a reflexive pronoun. [Obs.] How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen Shak.

Dull; stupid. Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanor! Shak.

A challenge; a defiance; bravado. [Obs.] Demetrius, thou dost overween in all; And so in this, to bear me down with braves. Shak.

To intimidate with threats and by an overbearing, swaggering demeanor; to act the part of a bully toward. For the last fortnight there have been prodigious shoals of volunteers gone over to bully the French, upon hearing the peace was just signing. Tatler.

To bear (one's self); to behave, to conduct or demean; -- with the refexive pronouns. He carried himself so insolently in the house, and out of the house, to all persons, that he became odious. Clarendon.

used in records and judicial proceedings. Shak. -- Court lands (Eng. Law), lands kept in demesne, -- that is, for the use of the lord and his family. -- Court marshal, one who acts as marshal for a court. -- Court party, a party attached to the court. -- Court rolls, the records of a court. SeeRoll. -- Court in ba…

Broken, weakened, or dissordered in intellect; shattered; demented; deranged. Over moist and crazy brains. Hudibras.

Gross violation of human law, in distinction from a misdemeanor or trespass, or other slight offense. Hence, also, any aggravated offense against morality or the public welfare; any outrage or great wrong. "To part error from crime." Tennyson.

To express one's views as to the merit or demerit of; esp., to animadvert upon; to find fault with; as, to criticise conduct. Blackwood's Mag.

a wind directly ahead, or opposed to the ship's course. -- To be dead, to die. [Obs.] I deme thee, thou must algate be dead. Chaucer.

To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [Obs.] Claudius . . . Was demed for to hang upon a tree. Chaucer.

An offense or transgression against law; (Scots Law) an offense of a lesser degree; a misdemeanor. Every regulation of the civil code necessarily implies a delict in the event of its violation. Jeffrey.

Failure or omission of duty; a fault; a misdeed; an offense; a misdemeanor; a crime. The delinquencies of the little commonwealth would be represented in the most glaring colors. Motley.

To free from mesmeric influence; to demesmerize. -- De*mag`net*i*za"tion, n. -- De*mag"net*i`zer, n.

See Demesne.

A chief or ruler of a deme or district in Greece.

To carry or demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. Let an ambassador deport himself in the most graceful manner befor a prince. Pope.

Manner of deporting or demeaning one's self; manner of acting; conduct; carrige; especially, manner of acting with respect to the courtesies and duties of life; behavior; demeanor; bearing. The gravity of his deportment carried him safe through many difficulties. Swift.

Cast of mind; disposition; inclination; behavior; demeanor. [Obs.] He hath a person, and a smooth dispose To be suspected. Shak.