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Webster 1913 Edition


Demur

De-mur′

(dē̍-mûr′)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Demurred
(dē̍-mûrd′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Demurring
.]
[OF.
demurer
,
demorer
,
demourer
, to linger, stay, F.
demeurer
, fr. L.
demorari
;
de-
+
morari
to delay, tarry, stay,
mora
delay; prob. originally, time for thinking, reflection, and akin to
memor
mindful. See
Memory
.]
1.
To linger; to stay; to tarry.
[Obs.]
Yet durst not
demur
nor abide upon the camp.
Nicols.
2.
To delay; to pause; to suspend proceedings or judgment in view of a doubt or difficulty; to hesitate; to put off the determination or conclusion of an affair.
Upon this rub, the English embassadors thought fit to
demur
.
Hayward.
3.
To scruple or object; to take exception, especially on the basis of scruple or modesty;
as, I
demur
to that statement; they wanted to make him president, but he
demurred
.
4.
(Law)
To interpose a demurrer. See
Demurrer
, 2.

De-mur′

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about.
[Obs.]
The latter I
demur
, for in their looks
Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears.
Milton.
2.
To cause delay to; to put off.
[Obs.]
He demands a fee,
And then
demurs
me with a vain delay.
Quarles.

De-mur′

,
Noun.
[OF.
demor
,
demore
, stay, delay. See
Demur
,
Verb.
I.
]
Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple.
All my
demurs
but double his attacks;
At last he whispers, “Do; and we go snacks.”
Pope.

Webster 1828 Edition


Demur

DEMUR

,
Verb.
I.
[L. To stay or delay.]
1.
To stop; to pause; to hesitate; to suspend proceeding; to delay determination or conclusion.
On receiving this information, the minister demurred, till he could obtain further instructions.
2.
In law, to stop at any point in the pleadings, and rest or abide on that point in law for a decision of the cause. Thus, the defendant may demur to the plaintiffs declaration, alledging it to be insufficient in law; the plaintiff may demur to the defendants plea, for a like reason.

DEMUR

,
Verb.
T.
To doubt of.

DEMUR

,
Noun.
Stop; pause; hesitation as to the propriety of proceeding; suspense of proceeding or decision.
All my demurs but double his attacks.