Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Dignity of conduct; propriety; decorum; sense of honor; good manners.
  • noun Ornament; credit: as, he's a mense to his family.
  • To grace; ornament; set off or be a credit to: as, the pictures mense the room.

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

  • noun Prov. Eng. & Scot. Manliness; dignity; comeliness; civility.
  • transitive verb Prov. Eng. & Scot. To grace.

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

  • noun Property, owndom; possessions.
  • verb To adorn, bring honour to; grace.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From earlier mensk, from Middle English menske ("courtesy, honour"), from Old Norse menska ("humanity"). Cognate with Old English menniscu ("the human condition, humanity"). More at mennish, mensch.

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