Part 144

De`ma*te"ri*al*ize (?), v. t. To deprive of material or physical qualities or characteristics.

Dematerializing matter by stripping it of everything which . . . has distinguished matter.

Milman.

Deme (dm), n. [Gr. dh^mos.] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) A territorial subdivision of Attica (also of modern Greece), corresponding to a township. Jowett (Thucyd.).

2. (Biol.) An undifferentiated aggregate of cells or plastids.

De*mean" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demeaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Demeaning.] [OF. demener to conduct, guide, manage, F. se démener to struggle; pref. dé- (L. de) + mener to lead, drive, carry on, conduct, fr. L. minare to drive animals by threatening cries, fr. minari to threaten. See Menace.] 1. To manage; to conduct; to treat.

clergy have with violence demeaned the matter.

Milton.

2. To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.

They have demeaned themselves Like men born to renown by life or death.

Shak.

They answered . . . that they should demean themselves according to their instructions.

Clarendon.

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3. To debase; to lower; to degrade; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun.

Her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's daughter.

Thackeray.

This sense is probably due to a false etymology which regarded the word as connected with the adjective mean.

De*mean" (?), n. [OF. demene. See Demean, v. t.] 1. Management; treatment. [Obs.]

Vile demean and usage bad.

Spenser.

2. Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor. [Obs.]

With grave demean and solemn vanity.

West.

De*mean", n. [See Demesne.] 1. Demesne. [Obs.]

2. pl. Resources; means. [Obs.]

You know How narrow our demeans are.

Massinger.