▪ I. deem, v.
(diːm)
Forms: 1 dœ́man, 1–2 déman, 2–4 demen, 2–7 deme, (3–6 deame, 4–5 dem, deyme, 5 dyme, 6 Sc. deim, 7 dim), 4–7 deeme, 5– deem. pa. tense and pa. pple. deemed: 1 démde, démed, 3–7 dempt.
[A Common Teut. derivative vb.; OE. dœ́man, déman + OFris. déma, OS. a-dômian (Du. doemen), OHG. tuomian, tuomen (MHG. tüemen), ON. dœ́ma (dæma), (Sw. döma, Da. dömme), Goth. dômjan:—OTeut. *dômjan. f. dômo-z, Goth. dôm-s, judgement, doom. Cf. deme n., doom v.]
† 1. intr. To give or pronounce judgement; to act as judge, sit in judgement; to give one's decision, sentence, or opinion; to arbitrate. Obs.
In OE. construed with a dative of the person, ‘to pronounce judgement to, act as judge to’, equivalent to the trans. sense in 2.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter ii. 10 Alle ða ðe doemað eorðan. 971 Blickl. Hom. 11 He cymeþ to demenne cwicum & deadum. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. vii. 2 Witodlice ðam ylcan dome þe ᵹe demað, eow byð ᵹedemed. Ibid. John viii. 15 Ge demað æfter flæsce, ic ne deme nanum men [c 1160 Hatton G., Ich ne deme nane men]. a 1300 Cursor M. 17415 (Cott.), If yee þan rightwisli wil deme, Yeild vs ioseph þat yee suld yeme. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 304 They..toke a juge therupon..And bede him demen in this cas. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. iii. 1464 She..Spak and commaunded, bothe dempte and wrot. 1556 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 262 To arbytrate, deme, and judge betwixt the said Citie and..John Wayte. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Aug. 137 Neuer dempt more right of beautye I weene The shepheard of Ida that iudged beauties Queene. |
† 2. trans. To judge, sit in judgement on (a person or cause). Obs.
The construction with a personal object takes, in Northumbrian and ME., the place of the OE. const. with dative in 1.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. vii. 2 In ðæm dome ᵹie doemes ᵹe biðon ᵹedoemed [Rushw. Gl. ᵹe beoþ doemde]. Ibid. John viii. 15 Ic ne doemo æniᵹne monno. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 171 Ure drihten cumeð al middeneard to demen. Ibid. 225 Þat sal deme þe quica and þe deade. a 1300 Cursor M. 21965 (Cott.), In þe first he com dempt to be. 1382 Wyclif John xvi. 11 The prince of this world is now demyd. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 59/2 Moyses satte & juged & demed the peple fro moryng vnto euenyng. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. iii. 4 At th' one side sixe iudges were dispos'd, To view and deeme the deedes of armes that day. 1605 Heywood 1st Pt. If you know not me Wks. 1874 I. 203 Deeme her offences, if she haue offended, With all the lenity a sister can. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 111 Thou Judge be ware, for as ye deme, ze sall be demed. |
† b. To rule (a people) as a judge. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7283 (Cott.), Fourti yeir dempt he israel. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 280 Edward now he wille, þat Scotlond be wele ȝemed, And streitly in skille þorgh wise men demed. |
c. To administer (law). arch.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. v. 175 By leel men and lyf-holy my lawe shal be demyd. 1718 Bp. Wilson in Keble Life xii. (1863) 397 That..the 24 Keys may be called, according to the statute and constant practice to deem the law truly. 1887 Hall Caine Deemster viii. 54 The Deemster was a hard judge, and deemed the laws in rigour. |
† d. To decide (a quarrel). Obs.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxxv. 105 To suffre his quarell to be demyd by dynt of swerde atwene them two. |
† 3. To sentence, doom, condemn (to some penalty, to do or suffer something). Obs.
| a 1000 Elene 500 (Gr.) Swa he..to cwale moniᵹe Cristes folces demde, to deaþe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 73 He wurð idemed to þolien wawe mid dovelen in helle. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 223 Þe sulle ben to deaðe idemd. a 1300 Cursor M. 15343 To-morn dai sal i be dempt On rode tre to hang. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 316 For which I deme the to deth certayn. 1426 Audelay Poems 12 Leve he is a lyere, his dedis thai done hym deme. 1529 Rastell Pastyme (1811) 243 For whiche rebellyon they were there demyd to dethe. 1602 in J. Mill Diary (1889) 180 John Sinclair..is dempt to quyt his guddis. |
† b. fig. To pass (adverse) judgement upon; to condemn, censure. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28148 (Cott.) Oþer men dedis oft i demyd. 1488 Caxton Chast. Goddes Chyld. 21 Many thynges they deme and blame. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xviii. 36 Wist thir folkis that vthir demis, How that thair sawis to vthir semis. 1555–86 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxvii. 33 Do quhat ȝe dow, detractouris ay will deme ȝou. 1598 D. Ferguson Scot. Prov., Dame, deem warily; ye watna wha wytes yersell. |
† 4. To decree, ordain, appoint; to decide, determine; to adjudicate or award (a thing to a person).
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. iv. xxix [xxviii.] (1891) 368 Ne wæs ða hweðre sona his halᵹunge ᵹedemed. a 1000 Exeter Bk. vii. 16 Næfre God demeð þæt æniᵹ eft þæs earm ᵹeweorðe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 95 He demað stiðne dom þam forsune⁓ȝede. c 1205 Lay. 460 He habbeð idemed Þat ich am duc ofer heom. Ibid. 22116 He hæhte alle cnihtes demen rihte domes. a 1300 Cursor M. 21445 (Cott.) Þe quen has biden us to deme To þe al þat to right es queme. c 1386 Chaucer Doctor's T. 199, I deme anoon this clerk his seruaunt haue. 1399 Rolls of Parlt. III. 452/1 The Lordes..deme and ajuggen and decreen, that [etc.]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 606 Whateuer ye deme me to do. 1464 Paston Lett. No. 493 II. 166 Fynes therefore dempt or to be dempt. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 72/2 In demyng of rightful domes. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 38 Preamb., It was enacted stablisshed ordeyned demed & declared..that [etc.]. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 13 The Epistle, in the which Gregory..demed that the Church of Yorke and of London should be even Peres. a 1605 Montgomerie Flyting 373 Syne duelie they deemde, what death it sould die. |
† b. To decide (to do something). Obs.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1089 Ȝe han demed to do þe dede þat I bidde. |
† 5. To form or express a judgement or estimate on; to judge, judge of, estimate. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 290 Euer bihold hire wurð þet he paide uor hire, and dem þerefter pris. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. (A.) 312 To leue no tale be true to tryȝe, Bot þat hys one skyl may dem. 1388 Wyclif Matt. xvi. 4 Thanne ȝe kunne deme the face of heuene, but ȝe moun not wite the tokenes of tymes. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2200 A cherle is demed by his dede. 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe Proem (1541) A iv b, I desyre men to deme well myne intente. 1596 Spenser Hymne Love 168 Things hard gotten men more dearely deeme. |
† b. To judge between (things), to distinguish, discern. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 511/1 A blynde man can nat deme no coulours. 1581 Rich Farewell (1846) 67 He is not able to deeme white from blacke, good from badde, vertue from vice. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. i. 8 Thus she him taught In all the skill of deeming wrong and right. |
† c. intr. To judge of, to distinguish between.
| 1340 Ayenb. 82 Þet hi ne conne yknawe þane day uram þe nyȝt, ne deme betuene grat and smal. a 1542 Wyat Of Courtiers Life 94 Nor Flaunders chere lettes not my syght to deme Of blacke and white. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 27 Here, by judging of our estate, thou maist accordingly deeme of our pleasures. Ibid. ii. 111 Conversing among such as have discretion to deeme of a Gentleman. |
6. To form the opinion, to be of opinion; to judge, conclude, think, consider, hold. (The ordinary current sense.) a. intr. or absol. (Now chiefly parenthetical.)
| a 800 Corpus Gloss. 440 Censeo, doema. c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xvi. [xxvii.] (1890) 86 Þæs þe ic demo [ut arbitror]. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxvi. (Z.) 155 Censeo ic deme oððe ic asmeaᵹe. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1244 (Dido) And demede as hem liste. c 1386 ― Clerk's T. 932 For sche is fairer, as thay demen alle, Than is Grisild. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867) 20 To fele and with resone to deme. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 15 He is not..here in the countrey, but as I deeme and you have enformed, about London. 1725 Pope Odyss. iii. 61 He too, I deem, implores the power divine. |
b. with obj. and compl. (n., adj. or pple., or inf. phr.; † formerly often with for, as).
| c 1205 Lay. 22140 Þene þe king demde for-lore. a 1225 Ancr. R. 120 Þet tu schalt demen þi suluen wod. a 1300 Cursor M. 26814 (Cott.) It mai nan him for buxum deme. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 218 Oure doctourus dere, demed for wise. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 102, I demede him for deed. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5163 Þai demed it better all' to dye. 1548 Hall Chron. 191 b, What so ever jeoperdy or perill might bee construed or demed, to have insued. 1581 G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 35 A vertue which you deeme yourselfe to have. 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. 51, I deemed it much my best and shortest way. 1681 P. Rycaut Critick 201 He went to the House of the World, which was always deemed for a Deceiver. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. i. 9 For never can I deem him less than God. 1754 J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) I. 45 Deemed as very unjust in Gaming. 1827 Jarman Powell's Devises II. 293 A general permission..appears to have been deemed sufficient. 1852 C. M. Yonge Cameos I. xxxii. 277 Harold..deemed it time to repress these inroads. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 398 Works..which have been deemed to fulfil their design fairly. |
c. with that and clause.
| c 1205 Lay. 24250 Men gunnen demen þat nes i nane londe burh nan swa hende. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 940, I ought to deme..That in the salte see my wyf is deed. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas i. ii. (1544) 5 a, Nembroth..Dempt..He transcended al other of noblesse. c 1450 Merlin 10 She demed that it was the enmy that so hadde hir begiled. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. i. (1611) 184 Wee may boldly deeme there is neither, where both are not. 1739 W. Melmoth Fitzosb. Lett. (1763) 291 Nor dempt he, simple wight, no mortal may The blinded god..when he list, foresay. 1887 Bowen Virgil æneid ii. 371 (1889) 126 Deeming we come with forces allied. |
7. intr. To judge or think (in a specified way) of a person or thing.
| c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame ii. 88 Thow demest of thy selfe amys. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2198 Of hem noon other deme I can. c 1440 Generydes 4710 Wele I wote in hym ye demyd amys. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 24 Let vs see how the Greekes named it [Poetry], and howe they deemed of it. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 146, I shall..give you so good occasion to deeme well of me. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 599 Though higher of the genial Bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem. 1762 Blackstone in Gutch Coll. Cur. II. 362 These capital mistakes..occasion'd the Editor..to deem with less reverence of this Roll. 1814 Scott Wav. lxi, Where the ties of affection were highly deemed of. 1860 J. P. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. ix. 105, I cannot deem otherwise of them. |
† 8. To think to do something, to expect, hope.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 51 Symon Magus..was reprouid of Petre, for he demid to possede þe ȝeft of God bi money. 1819 Byron Juan ii. clxxii, A creature meant To be her happiness, and whom she deem'd To render happy. |
† 9. trans. To think of (something) as existent; to guess, suspect, surmise, imagine. Obs.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 528 Ne deme no dishonesty in your derfe hert, Þof I put me þus pertly my purpos to shewe. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. xxvi, As Kynge mark redde these letters, he demed treson by syr Tristram. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 114 Your imaginations doe already deeme the matter I must utter. 1598–9 Parismus i. (1661) 15 All the companie began to deeme that which afterward proued true. |
b. intr. To think of, have a thought or idea of.
| 1814 Cary Dante (Chandos) 302 The shining of a flambeau at his back Lit sudden ere he deem of its approach. 1818 Byron Ch. Har. iv. cxxxvii, Something unearthly which they deem not of. |
† 10. trans. To pronounce, proclaim, celebrate, announce, declare; to tell, say, utter. Also intr. with of. [An exclusively poetic sense, found already in OE., probably derived from sense 4. Cf. also ON. dœ́ma in poetry, to talk.]
| a 1000 Fat. Apost. (Gr.) 10 Þær hie dryhtnes æ deman sceoldon, reccan fore rincum. a 1000 Guthlac (Gr.) 498 Þæt we æfæstra dæde demen, secᵹen dryhtne lof ealra þara bisena. c 1205 Lay. 23059 ælles ne cunne we demen [c 1275 telle] of Arðures deden. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 119 Dyngne Dauid..þat demed þis speche, In a psalme. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 154 Alle þer lymmes, how þai besemed, In his buke has Dares demed, Both of Troie & of Grece. c 1350 Will. Palerne 151 Hire deth was neiȝ diȝt, to deme þe soþe. a 1400–50 Alexander 1231 Þan he dryfes to þe duke, as demys [Dubl. MS. tellys] þe textis. a 1547 Surrey Aeneid ii. 156 Then some gan deme to me The cruell wrek of him that framde the craft [crudele canebant artificis scelus]. |
† b. with double obj. To celebrate as, style, call, name. poetic. Obs.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1020 Forþy þe derk dede see hit is demed euer more. Ibid. 1611 Baltazar..Þat now is demed Danyel of derne coninges. |
▪ II. † deem, n. Obs.
(diːm)
[f. deem v.]
Judgement, opinion, thought, surmise.
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. iv. 61 Troy. Here me my loue: be thou but true of heart. Cres. I true? how now? what wicked deeme is this? 1629 Gaule Holy Madn. 163 Honour what is it; but an imposed..Hight, and Deeme? 1648 Symmons Vind. Chas. I, 292 Much wrong should they have in the world's deem. |