Contextualizebeta

dissemble

verb
/dɪˈsɛmbəl/

Etymology

First attested in the beginning of the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English dissemblen, dissimblen, dissemelen, borrowed from Old French dessambler, dissembler, disembler, itself borrowed from Latin dissimulō and modified after sembler, semblance, etc. Doublet of dissimulate, dissimilate, and dissimule. Displaced native Old English mīþan.

  1. derived from dissimulō
  2. derived from dissembler
  3. inherited from dissemblen

Definitions

  1. To disguise or conceal something.

    • Dissemble all your griefs and discontents.
    • Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in ſundry places to acknowledge, and confeſs our manifold ſins and wickedneſs, and that we ſhould not diſſemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father, […]
    • Perhaps it was right to dissemble your love.

  2. To feign, dissimulate.

    • And like a Lyon, Slumbring in the vvay, / Or Sleep-diſſembling, vvhile he vvaits his Prey, […]
    • He soon dissembled a sleep.

  3. To deliberately ignore something

    To deliberately ignore something; to pretend not to notice.

  4. ›+ 1 more definition

    1. To falsely hide one's opinions or feelings.

      • VVhile to his Arms the bluſhing Bride he took; / To ſeeming Sadneſs ſhe compoſ'd her Look; / As if by Force ſubjected to his VVill, / Tho' pleaſ'd, diſſembling, and a VVoman ſtill.
      • […] She transferr'd the curs'd Advice, / That Monarchs ſhould their inward Soul diſguise, / Diſſemble, and command; be falſe, and wiſe; / By ignominous Arts for ſervile Ends / Should compliment their Foes, and ſhun their Friends.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for dissemble. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA