condescend

Verb

condescend (third-person singular simple present condescends, present participle condescending, simple past and past participle condescended)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To come down or go down; to descend.
   • To ſtoop to any ſordid lovv Action, is to imitate the Kite, vvhich flyeth high in the Air, yet vouchſafes to condeſcend to Carrion upon the Ground.1680, W[illiam] de Britaine, “Sect[ion] XXII. Of the Man of Honour.”, in Humane Prudence, or The Art by which a Man may Raise Himself and His Fortune to Grandeur. […], 9th edition, London: […]...
2. (figuratively, intransitive) To come down from a superior position and do something; to deign; (with a negative connotation) to stoop.
   • The boss condescended not to sack him after much persuasion from his coworkers.
   • Truli I knowe him [the Devil] to wel, and haue obeyed him a little to much in condiſcenting to ſome folies.1548 January 28 (date delivered), Hughe Latemer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], A Notable Sermõ of yͤ Reuerende Father Maister Hughe Latemer, whiche He Preached in yͤ Shrouds at Paules Churche in Londõ, on the...
3. (figuratively, intransitive) To treat someone as though inferior; to talk down to someone; to patronize.
   • Miss Crawley's graciousness was also remarkable. She continued her raptures about little Amelia, talked about her before her face as if she were a doll, or a servant, or a picture, and admired her with the most benevolent wonder possible. I admire that admiration which the genteel world sometimes...1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Miss Crawley at Home”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 123
   • "You must know," said Estella, condescending to me as a brilliant and beautiful woman might, "that I have no heart—if that has anything to do with my memory."1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter X, in Great Expectations […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 165
4. (figuratively, intransitive) Chiefly followed by on or upon: to go into detail; to particularize, to specify.
   • The whole of his work consists of digested and transformed experience presented to you under arrangements new to himself. It is all true, except as to "the way it is put," and you feel that it is true—that is, if the work be good of the kind; but you can not "condescend upon particulars" as to when...1880 February, Henry Holbeach, “The New Fiction”, in The Contemporary Review, volume XXXVII, London: Strahan & Company […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 249
5. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To agree to something; to accede, to assent, to consent; also, to reach an agreement.
   • Than were they condeſended that Kyng Arthure and syr mordred ſhold mete betwyxte bothe theyr hooſtes and eueryche of them shold brynge fourtene persones […][1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum iiij”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book XXI (in Middle English), [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC, leaf 423, recto...
   • Careles and shamlesse, / Thriftles and gracelesse, / Together are bended, / And so condyscended, / That the commune welth / Shall neuer haue good helth, […]a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth a Lytell Boke, whiche hath to Name Why Come Ye Nat to Courte? […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […]...

   Antonyms:

   discondescend

6. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To give way or yield in a deferential manner; to be amenable or compliant.
   • Henricus the Emperour [Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor] fearing þᵉ vaine thūderbolt of the Popes curse, talking with his princes, and perswaded by his frendes, was fain to condescend to the vnreasonable conditions of the Pope: […]1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), John Foxe, “The Tragicall Historye of Gregorius VII. otherwise Named Hildebrand”, in Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn...
   • Theodoſius gave eare & condiſcended to his vvords, […]1609, Ammianus Marcellinus, “[The XXIX. Booke.] Chapter XIIII.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Roman Historie, […], London: […] Adam Jslip, →OCLC, page 373
7. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To graciously give; to vouchsafe.
   • [W]hen John [the author of the Gospel of John] asks thee [Jesus] a queſtion […] thou condeſcendeſt to a mild and full (though ſecret) ſatisfaction.1679, Joseph Hall, “Christ Betrayed”, in Contemplations upon the Remarkable Passages in the Life of the Holy Jesus, London: […] E. Flesher, and are to be sold by Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 423
8. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To reach a certain point; to settle on.
   • [H]is Ho[liness] hath, & contynually doth deſire them vvith ſpede to condeſcend to oon opinion, or other, & to ſhevv their ſentence in theſe Articles, VVhether in ther opinions the cauſes vvherupon the Matrimony ſhold be declared nought, & the Diſpenſation void, be ſufficient in the lavv, or not.1528 (date written), John Strype, quoting [Stephen] Gardiner, [Edward] Fox[e], and Gregory de Cassali [i.e., Gregory di Casale], “Numb[er] XXIV. Dr. Gardiner, Dr. Fox, & Sir Gregory de Cassalis, the...
   • [T]hereafter our cavalier condescendeth again to matters of fact.1844, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Charles at Madras”, in The Twins: […], London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 159
9. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To secretly make plans, usually to bring about a bad or illegal result; to conspire, to plot.
   • [S]he perſwaded the Duke of Clarence, that it was neyther naturall, nor honorable to him eyther to condiſcende or take parte againſt the houſe of Yorke, (of which he was lineally diſcended) and to ſet vp agayne the houſe of Lancaſtre, […]1569, Richard Grafton, “Edwarde the Fourth”, in A Chronicle at Large and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande […], volume II, London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey...
10. (nonstandard, rare, transitive) To treat (someone) as though inferior; to talk down to (someone); to patronize.
    • I didn't mean to condescend you, Mr. Shreck.2007, Damian Westfall, Bennett’s Cow-Eyed Girl […], Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 54
    • I'm not trying to condescend you, Ben.2010, Jaron Lee Knuth, chapter 12, in Demigod, [S.l.]: Jaron Lee Knuth, →ISBN

    Synonyms:

    belittle

11. (obsolete, transitive, chiefly passive voice) Often preceded by the dummy pronoun it: to agree to (something); to consent.
    • It was condescended by the warring parties that they should lay down their arms and seek peace.
    • And furthermore, we commit the adminiſtration & vſe of policie and iuſtice ouer the foreſaid vnited prouinces, and aſſociat cities and members of the ſame into his hands, […] with eſpeciall power to collect profits, and receiue, and adminiſtrat all the contributions which are agreed and...1587 January, Raphael Holinshed, “The Chronicles of England, from the Yeare of Our Lord 1576, where Raphaell Holinshed left; Supplied and Continued to this Present Yeare 1586: […]. A Placard...