Oh my word Demure, Demur, Demurred

“THOMAS LAQUEUR, professor of history at University of California, Berkeley, opens his new book (The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal Remains) with the story of Diogenes the Cynic, a philosopher from ancient Greece who asked his friends not to bury his body when he died, but to throw it out for the beasts. When they demurred, he mocked them. He knew that the corpses are insensate matter, nothing more; loam, as hamlet said later, with which to stop a bunghole.” –The Economist

How demure is Demi Moore after her split from Ashton Kutcher and fading career in Hollywood and showbiz?

Demur is a verb intransitive, pronounced as di-mer. The variants of the verb demur are demurred, demurring, demurs. Demur means to take exception, to raise objections to someone or something; to raise scruples. In this sense demur is followed by to and at; to hesitate; to postpone the determination of an affair or its conclusion; to linger, to stay, to tarry, to delay, to pause; because of doubt or difficult, to suspend proceedings or the judgement.

In the elected legislatures of democratic countries, the members can demur to the statements of the government especially over policy matters and their implementation. Have you ever demurred to your boss’ suggestion?

Demur also functions as a noun, and its plural form is demurs. In this sense, demur means to stop, pause, suspense of decision.

Legally, demur means to put a demurrer – the person to object to his opponent. Demurrer is a noun. In law, demurrer is an objection; a plea before the judge that the pleading point of the opponent is irrelevant.

Countries can demur at others for not respective human rights of their citizens. Demur as a noun also refers to an objection, agreed without demur; in this sense, the alternative spelling of demur is demurral; the act or process of objecting. The word demur comes from the Latin word morari ‘to delay’.

Demure is an adjective, and its comparative and superlative are demurer and demurest. Demure means quiet, reserved, modest; shy in an affected way and quiet; affectedly modest, sober, being coy and serious.

The variants of demure are demurely (adjective) and demureness (noun). Have you seen a demure young lady? Probably they are in the libraries and parks. Her demureness (making a show of gravity) and charisma drew the attention of a man who she loved and hated in equal measure who finally fell to her charms. Being demure is not a bad trait: you are contained to yourself, and know your place!

Kovuuri G Reddy