† diˈssimule, v. Obs.
Also 4–6 dissy-, 5 dissumule, -symyl, dyssymyl(e, 5–6 dyssymul, dissymyl(e, 6 dis- dyssimill, -symell, Sc. -simull, -symile, -semle, -semmil.
[a. OF. dissimule-r (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. dissimulāre to disguise, conceal, dissemble, f. dis-, dis- 4 + simulāre to feign, after dissimil-is unlike, different. By development of b after m, and vowel modification, this word was gradually changed into dissemble, q.v.]
1. trans. To alter the semblance of (one's feelings, actions, etc.) so as to conceal or deceive; to disguise under a feigned semblance; = dissemble v. 1.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 322 His wo he gan dissimulen and hide. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xvi. 65 They sholde doo this couertly, in dyssymulyng their goyng. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxii. 254 To dyssymell the matter vayleth not. a 1557 M. Basset tr. More's Treat. Passion Wks. 1372/1 Enforsed either openly to professe their beliefe, or falselye to dissimull it. 1606 Holland Sueton. 120 In part to dissimule and palliate his weakenesse. |
b. with inf. phr.
| 1388 Wyclif 1 Sam. x. 27 He dissymelide hym to here. 1570 Buchanan Ane Admonitioun Wks. (1892) 23 People..yat professis yame selffis in deid, and dissimulis in word to be ennemeis to God and to justice. |
2. To alter the outward appearance of (a person or thing); to disguise; = dissemble 2.
| 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. i. ii. 14 Wherefore dyssymylest thou thy self lyke to the poure people. 1548 Gest Pr. Masse 120 A king renounceth to be honoured as a king when he dyssymeleth..hys personage and maiestye royall. |
3. To pretend not to see or notice; to overlook, ignore; = dissemble 3.
(In quot. 1450, perh. ‘to put any one off without answering.’)
| a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 100 The duk, that sawe her symplenes, beganne to lawghe and dissymyled her requeste. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xxi. 234 If he suffre & dyssymule ony grete euyll in his subgectes. 1537 Inst. Chr. Man L vj b, They..wol wynke therat, and dissimule it. 1636 B. Jonson Discov., Morbi ix. 190 So in the church, some errors may be dissimuled with lesse inconvenience then they can be discover'd. |
b. intr. with with, in same sense.
| 1558 Q. Kennedy Compend. Tract. in Wodr. Soc. Misc. 1844 I. 142 Magistratis dissimulis..with the faltis of the subjectis. |
4. absol. or intr. To practise dissimulation; = dissemble 4.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 385 (434) So wel dissimulen he kowde. c 1386 ― Manciple's T. 243 Dissimule as thou were deef, if that thou heere A Iangler. 1484 Caxton Curiall 2 They that conne dyssymyle..use better theyr tyme in courtes than the other peple. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. vi. 21 And to dissymill [ed. 1555 dissemmil] gif ony askit quhy. 1624 Brief Inform. Affairs Palatinate 51 Vnto the Princes..he dissimuled, and would not be knowne of the same conditions. |
b. const. with. (See also 3 b.)
| 1471 Close Roll 10 Edw. IV, 31 Mar., They dissimuled with his said Highness. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. xxxvi. 86 a, He dissimuled therewith onely to see whether..he might lade there or no. |
5. trans. To simulate, feign; = dissemble 5.
| 1483 Caxton Cato F iij b, Thou oughtest..to make the a fole or to dyssymylle folye in tyme and in place whan the thynge requyreth it. 1570–1 Act 11 Eliz. in Bolton Stat. Irel. (1621) 311 His demaunds were yeelded to conditionally that it appeare to the world that he ment faithfully..which being dissimuled till the first of May [etc.]. |
b. with subord. clause or inf. phr. = dissemble 5 b.
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. viii. (1869) 179 He taketh gladliche a fauce visage, and falsliche dissimuleth þat he is a briht angel. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xix. 71 Why is it that I dyssymule to go alle oute from my wyttes? 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 36 People, dissimuling that thei desired to ioyne frendship with the Spaniardes. |
6. trans. To feign, invent, make up falsely. rare.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 314 b/2 An illusion or an Inuencion dissimyled of his brethren the Freres. |
¶ 7. In the later Wycliffite version used to represent dissimulare of the Vulgate, where the sense of the original is ‘linger’ and ‘leave off, cease’.
| 1388 Wyclif Gen. xix. 16 While he dissymelide [1382 hym denyinge] thei token his hond. ― 1 Sam. xxiii. 13 Saul dissymylide [1382 laft] to go out. |
Hence † diˈssimuling vbl. n. and ppl. a. = dissembling.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1613 Whiche I shal with dissimulynge amende. c 1386 ― Sqr.'s T. 277 Swich subtil lookyng and dissymulynges. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. (Percy Soc.) 11 Dyssymulynge beggers. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 749 b, His subtile practises..and dissimuling conueiance. |