Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Downcast; humble; abject.
  • In botany, depressed; flattened.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective obsolete Cast down; humble; submissive.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective archaic Humble, lowly; abject.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin dēmissus, past participle of dēmittere ("demit").

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Examples

  • He perceived that the Liberal ministry had offended certain influential sections by appearing too demiss or too unenterprising in foreign affairs.

    Archaism. 1908

  • Yet charitable readers will believe that in the following sentence demiss has slipped unconsciously from a learned pen:

    Archaism. 1908

  • De concessione demiss, Edwardo Ditchfield et aliis.

    Notes on the State of Virginia 1853

  • But the present bunch now occupying the majority of this government are accelerating our demiss and I am not going to sit idly by and allow them free passage to do it.

    Clipmarks | Live Clips 2009

  • We need to demiss this idea that debt is a good thing that will help us grow.

    NEWS.com.au | Top Stories 2009

Comments

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  • In failing to flatter you've been remiss

    And now must appease unhappy Miss.

    So forestall perdition

    By abject contrition -

    In posture and word be demiss.

    July 23, 2015