condescend

From Middle English condescenden, condescendre (“to deign, condescend; to accede graciously; to agree; to agree to, give consent; to make a concession, yield; etc.”),^[1] from Old French condescendre (“to descend, go down; to agree or assent to”) (modern French condescendre),^[2] from Ecclesiastical Latin condēscendere, the present active infinitive of condēscendō (“to stoop down; to condescend”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several objects) + dēscendō (“to come or go down, descend; to stoop down”)^[3] (from dē- (prefix denoting reversal or undoing) + scandō (“to ascend, mount; to clamber”) (from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to climb, scale; to dart; to jump; etc.”))).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑndəˈsɛnd/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛnd
• Hyphenation: con‧de‧scend

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

1. (intransitive)
   1. (obsolete) To come down or go down; to descend.
      • 1680, W 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: Richard Sare, , published 1702, →OCLC, page 141:

        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.

   2. (figurative)
      2. 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.

         • 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 .XVIII. Daye of January. 1548, London: Jhon Daye, , and William Seres, , published 1548, →OCLC, signatures [C.iiii.], verso – [C.v.], recto:

           Truli I knowe him [the Devil] to wel, and haue obeyed him a little to much in condiſcenting to ſome folies.

         • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Romans 12:16, column 2:

           Be of the ſame mind one towards another. Minde not high things, but condeſcend to men of low eſtate. Be not wiſe in your owne conceits.

           Used in a positive or neutral sense. Translated in the New International Version as “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

         • 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. , London: J M for H Herringman , published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 10:

           Spain’s mighty Monarch, to vvhom Heaven thinks fit / That all the Nations of the Earth ſubmit, / In gracious clemency, does condeſcend / On theſe conditions, to become your Friend.

         • 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XV, in Pride and Prejudice: , volume I, London: for T Egerton, , →OCLC, page 161:

           But she is perfectly amiable, and often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies.

           Used in a positive or neutral sense.

         • 1824 March 26, [Lord Byron], Don Juan. Cantos XV. and XVI., London: for John and H L Hunt, , →OCLC, canto XVI, stanza XCV, page 111:

           But Adeline was occupied by fame / This day; and watching, witching, condescending / To the consumers of fish, fowl and game, / And dignity with courtesy so blending, […]

           Used in a positive or neutral sense.

         • 1838, E Bickersteth, “Creation”, in Christian Truth: A Family Guide to the Chief Truths of the Gospel: , 2nd edition, London: R. B. Seeley and W. Burnside; and sold by L. and G. Seeley, , →OCLC, page 58:

           O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, who hast set thy glory above the heavens! And yet thou condescendedst to be my God and my portion for ever.

         • 1847 December, Acton Bell [pseudonym; Anne Brontë], “The Uncle”, in Agnes Grey. , London: Thomas Cautley Newby, , →OCLC, page 78:

           Fanny and little Harriet he seldom condescended to notice; but Mary Ann was something of a favourite.

         • 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XIX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume IV, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, footnote *, page 364, column 1:

           It will be seen that the poet [Matthew Prior] condescended to imitate the style of the street ballads.

         • 1882, James Anthony Froude, “Origen and Celsus”, in Short Studies on Great Subjects. Fourth Series, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 272:

           Yet Origen was too high a man to condescend to wilful misrepresentation, or to do less than his very best to exhibit faithfully the lines which he assailed.

         • 1890, Horatio Alger, Jr., “Randolph Gets the Watch”, in Struggling Upward; or, Luke Larkin’s Luck (Way to Success Series), Philadelphia, Pa.: Henry T. Coates & Co., →OCLC, page 26:

           "This is the pay I get for condescending to let you go with me." / "You needn't condescend any longer," said Tom curtly, and he crossed to the other side of the street.

      4. To treat someone as though inferior; to talk down to someone; to patronize.
         • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Miss Crawley at Home”, in Vanity Fair , London: Bradbury and Evans , published 1848, →OCLC, page 123:

           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 extends to the commonalty. There is no more agreeable object in life than to see May Fair folks condescending.

         • 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter X, in Great Expectations , volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, , published October 1861, →OCLC, page 165:

           "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."

         • 1865, [Charlotte Mary Yonge], “Waiting for Rose”, in The Clever Woman of the Family. , volume I, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 185:

           Ermine never let any one be condescending to her, and conducted the conversation with her usual graceful good breeding, […]

         • 1907 August, Robert W Chambers, “Silverside”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 300:

           At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

      5. Chiefly followed by on or upon: to go into detail; to particularize, to specify.
         • 1880 February, Henry Holbeach, “The New Fiction”, in The Contemporary Review, volume XXXVII, London: Strahan & Company , →ISSN, →OCLC, page 249:

           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 and where it all happened.

      6. (obsolete) To agree to something; to accede, to assent, to consent; also, to reach an agreement.

         Antonym: (obsolete, rare) discondescend

         • by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC, leaf 423, recto; republished as H Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur , London: David Nutt, , 1889, →OCLC, page 845, lines 16–18:

           Than were they condeſended that Kyng Arthure and syr mordred ſhold mete betwyxte bothe theyr hooſtes and eueryche of them shold brynge fourtene persones […]

           Then were they condescended that King Arthur and Sir Mordred should meet betwixt both their hosts and every of them should bring fourteen persons ]

         • 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: , volume II, London: Thomas Rodd, , published 1843, →OCLC, page 58, lines 1017–1022:

           Careles and shamlesse, / Thriftles and gracelesse, / Together are bended, / And so condyscended, / That the commune welth / Shall neuer haue good helth, […]

         • 1557, Anthony of Gueuara [i.e., Antonio de Guevara], “Of the Excellencie of Christian Religion, whiche Manifesteth the True God, and Disproueth the Vanitie of the Auncientes, Hauinge so Many Gods. ”, in Thomas North, transl., The Diall of Princes. , London: Iohn Waylande, →OCLC, 1st booke, folio 6, verso, column 1:

           For thoſe iuſtly deſerue yͤ ſworde, which with no reaſonable condicions, wil condeſcende vnto peace.

         • 1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), John Foxe, “Actes and Monumentes of the Churche”, in Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, , London: Iohn Day, , →OCLC, book I, page :

           With those reasons of Lanfranke [i.e., Lanfranc], Thomas [of Bayeux] gaue ouer, condescending that the firste of hys prouince should begin at Humber.

         • 1569, Richard Grafton, “Edwarde the Fift”, in A Chronicle at Large and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande , volume II, London: Henry Denham, , for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye, →OCLC, page 793:

           The nobles and commons alſo of this realme, […] haue fully condiſcended and vtterly determined to make humble peticion vnto the puyſſaunt prince the Lorde protectour [the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III], that it maye like his grace at our humble requeſt, to take vpon him the guyding and gouernaunce of this realme, […]

         • a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “ Chapter 29”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC, folio 240, recto:

           oth ſides, all toke ſolemne oath, and ſo the peace vvas concluded; they of Plangus partie forcing him to agree, though he himſelfe the ſooner condiſcended, knovving the courteſie of thoſe tvvo excellent Princes, not to refuſe ſo noble a quarrell, and their povver ſuch, as tvvo more (like the other tvvo) vvere not able to reſiſt.

         • 1597, Richard Hooker, “Of Oblations, Foundations, Endowments, Tithes, All Intended for Perpetuitie of Religion, ”, in J S, editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, , 2nd edition, London: Will Stansby , published 1611, →OCLC, book V, page 428:

           And aſſone as the ſtate of the Church could admit thereof, they eaſily condeſcended to thinke it moſt naturall and moſt fit, that God ſhould receiue as before of all men his ancient accuſtomed revenevves of Tithes.

         • 1607, Gervase Markham, “How Horse Foales, and Mare Foales, Grow, and to Know the Continuance of Their Goodnesse”, in Cauelarice, or The English Horseman: , London: [Edward Allde and W Jaggard] for Edward White, , →OCLC, 1st book, page 60:

           o that opinion I muſt needs condiſcend, for I find it in dayly experience […]

         • 1649, J Milton, “Of the Differences in Point of Church Government”, in ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ  , London: Matthew Simmons, , →OCLC, page 157:

           rom his ovvn vvords vve may perceave eaſily, […] hovv unvvillingly and vvith vvhat mentall reſervation he condeſcended againſt his ovvn intereſt to remove it out of the Peers houſe, hath bin ſhovvn alreadie.

      7. (obsolete) To give way or yield in a deferential manner; to be amenable or compliant.
         • 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 Day, , →OCLC, book I, page :

           Henricus the Emperour [Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor] fearing þ^e 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: […]

         • 1609, Ammianus Marcellinus, “ Chapter XIIII.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Roman Historie, , London: Adam Jslip, →OCLC, page 373:

           Theodoſius gave eare & condiſcended to his vvords, […]

         • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, .”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: J M for John Starkey , →OCLC, page 79, lines 346–348:

           Can they think me ſo broken, ſo debas'd / VVith corporal ſervitude, that my mind ever / VVill condeſcend to ſuch abſurd commands?

      8. (obsolete) To graciously give; to vouchsafe.
         • 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:

           hen John [the author of the Gospel of John] asks thee [Jesus] a queſtion […] thou condeſcendeſt to a mild and full (though ſecret) ſatisfaction.

      9. (obsolete) To reach a certain point; to settle on.
         • 1528 (date written), John Strype, quoting Gardiner, Fox, and Gregory de Cassali [i.e., Gregory di Casale], “Numb[er] XXIV. Dr. Gardiner, Dr. Fox, & Sir Gregory de Cassalis, the Kings Ambassadors, unto the Cardinall. From Orviet.”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. , volume I, London: John Wyat, , published 1721, →OCLC, page 62:

           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.

         • 1844, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Charles at Madras”, in The Twins: , London: Richard Bentley, , →OCLC, page 159:

           hereafter our cavalier condescendeth again to matters of fact.

      10. (obsolete) To secretly make plans, usually to bring about a bad or illegal result; to conspire, to plot.
          • 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 Toye, →OCLC, page 685:

            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, […]

2. (transitive)
   1. (nonstandard, rare) To treat (someone) as though inferior; to talk down to (someone); to patronize.

      Synonym: belittle

      • 2007, Damian Westfall, Bennett’s Cow-Eyed Girl , Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 54:

        I didn't mean to condescend you, Mr. Shreck.

      • 2010, Jaron Lee Knuth, chapter 12, in Demigod, [S.l.]: Jaron Lee Knuth, →ISBN:

        I'm not trying to condescend you, Ben.

      • 2013 March 15 (first performance), Greg Kalleres, Honky, New York, N.Y.: Dramatists Play Service, published 2014, →ISBN, scene 11, page 31:

        THOMAS. […] Does my anger deserve your condescension? / ANDIE. I wasn't condescending you; I was just asking. / THOMAS. No. You said "angry black man." Like my anger only exists in a stereotype. That's condescending. I mean, does it occur to you that I might have something to be angry about? A reason that has nothing to do with my being black?

   2. (chiefly passive voice, obsolete) 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.

      • 1587 January, Raphael Holinshed, The Third Volume of Chronicles, Beginning at Duke William the Norman, Commonlie Called the Conqueror; , 2nd edition, volume III, London: [Henry Denham] at the expenses of Iohn Harison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham, and Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, pages 1420–1421:

        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 condeſcended, or ſhall hereafter he conſented or agreed, to the maintenance of the warres: […]

• Condescend is a catenative verb that takes the to-infinitive: see Appendix:English catenative verbs.
• Regarding sense 1.2.1 (“to come down from a superior position and do something”), in older usage the word could be used positively or neutrally to describe the action of someone who socialized in a friendly way with their social inferiors. (For example, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813), a character could say of another, “ I need not say you will be delighted with her. She is all affability and condescension.”)^[4] Now that the concept of social inferiors has largely fallen out of currency, the word tends to be used negatively, conveying the idea that a person is looking down on others.
• Regarding sense 1.2.2 (“to treat someone as though inferior”), the derived participial adjective condescending and the corresponding adverb condescendingly are more common than the verb itself.

• condescendence
• condescend upon
• condescension
• descend

• (to treat as inferior): put on airs

• condescension on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “condescend”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “condescend”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.