disapproval If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it. At last, Harper deigned to speak. To condescend to give or grant; vouchsafe. "Nor would we deign him burial of his men" (Shakespeare). deign to do sth to do something that you think you are really too important to do - often used humorously (deignier, from dignus )