dissimulen

Catalan

Verb

dissimulen

1. third-person plural present indicative of dissimular

Middle English

Alternative forms

• dissimile, dissimule, dissymule, dyssymule

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French dissimuler, from Latin dissimulō; equivalent to dis- +‎ symulen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /disiˈmiu̯lən/, /diˈsimiu̯lən/, /-ilən/

Verb

dissimulen (third-person singular simple present dissimuleth, present participle dissimulende, dissimulynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle dissimuled)

1. To dissemble; to be deceptive or dishonest.
2. (with as) To pretend; act as if.
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Manciples Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio c, verso:

     A iangler is to god abhomynable / Rede Salomon, ſo wyſe and honourable / Rede Dauid in his pſalmes, rede Senecke / My ſonne ſpeke not, ne wyth thy heed becke / Diſſimule as thou were deefe, if ẏ thou here / The ianglour ſpeketh of perlous matere

     A gossiper abominable is to God. Read Solomon, who is so wise and honourable. Read David's Psalms. Son, speak not, just bow your head and pretend that you are deaf if a gossip begins to speak to you about something dangerous.

3. To hide; to keep concealed or secret.
4. To neglect; to fail to pay attention (to something).
5. (Wycliff) To linger; cease.
   • c. 1382–1395, John Wycliffe [et al.], edited by Josiah Forshall and Frederic Madden, The Holy Bible, […], volume I, Oxford: At the University Press, published 1850, →OCLC, Genesis XIX:16, page 113, column 2:

     While he dissymelide [Vulgate: Dissimulante], thei token his hond, and the hond of his wijf, and of his twey doutris; for the Lord sparide hym.

     [KJV]: And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him:

Conjugation

Conjugation of dissimulen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) dissimulen, dissimule
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	dissimule	dissimuled
2nd-person singular	dissimulest	dissimuledest
3rd-person singular	dissimuleth	dissimuled
subjunctive singular	dissimule
imperative singular		—
plural1	dissimulen, dissimule	dissimuleden, dissimulede
imperative plural	dissimuleth, dissimule	—
participles	dissimulynge, dissimulende	dissimuled

¹Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• dissimulacioun
• dissimulour

Descendants

• English: dissimule (obsolete)
  • ⇒ English: dissemble

References

• “dissimū̆len, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.