DEMUR
What does "DEMUR" mean?
To raise an objection or show reluctance, especially politely or mildly.
Meanings
- To express mild or hesitant disagreement; to object. When asked to lead the project, she demurred, citing her workload. formal
- The act of objecting or hesitating. He accepted the terms without demur. formal
- In law, to file a plea that even if the facts are true, they give no legal cause. The defense chose to demur rather than contest the evidence. technical
Word origin
From Old French 'demorer' 'to linger, delay', from Latin 'demorari' 'to delay', from 'de-' plus 'morari' 'to tarry'; the sense of hesitating shaded into mild objection.
Remember it
To DEMUR is to murmur a 'no' - a quiet, polite objection rather than a flat refusal.
A little poem
She did not refuse, she did not concur-
she paused at the threshold and chose to demur.
couplet
Wordplay
- I complimented the witness on being so demure. The lawyer corrected me - she didn't demure, she demurred, and now we're both objecting.
What it teaches
A quiet demur, offered early, can save the room from a loud regret later.
Quick facts
What does DEMUR mean?
To raise an objection or show reluctance, especially politely or mildly.
Is DEMUR a valid word?
Yes — DEMUR is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is DEMUR?
DEMUR has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does DEMUR come from?
From Old French 'demorer' 'to linger, delay', from Latin 'demorari' 'to delay', from 'de-' plus 'morari' 'to tarry'; the sense of hesitating shaded into mild objection.
What can DEMUR teach us?
A quiet demur, offered early, can save the room from a loud regret later.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.