A word I like, but seldom see displayed. Women's lib is OK,
but a young lady who can speak demurely is too rare now.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Definition: \De*mure"\, a. [Perh. from OF. de murs (i. e., de bonnes
murs of good manners); de of + murs, mours, meurs, mors, F.
m?urs, fr. L. mores (sing. mos) manners, morals (see
{Moral}); or more prob. fr. OF. me["u]r, F. m[^u]r mature,
ripe (see {Mature}) in a phrase preceded by de, as de m[^u]re
conduite of mature conduct.]
1. Of sober or serious mien; composed and decorous in
bearing; of modest look; staid; grave.

Sober, steadfast, and demure. --Milton.

Nan was very much delighted in her demure way, and
that delight showed itself in her face and in her
clear bright eyes. --W. Black.

2. Affectedly modest, decorous, or serious; making a show of
gravity.

A cat lay, and looked so demure, as if there had
been neither life nor soul in her. --L'Estrange.

Miss Lizzy, I have no doubt, would be as demure and
coquettish, as if ten winters more had gone over her
head. --Miss
Mitford.


\De*mure"\, v. i.
To look demurely. [Obs.] --Shak.

In reply to:

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Nan was very much delighted in her demure way, and
that delight showed itself in her face and in her
clear bright eyes. --W. Black.

---

Interesting. Very much delighted--and showing it all in her eyes--body under control. Completely. But not the windows to the soul.

Thanks for demurely. I never knew it meant fundamentally 'of good manners' although I had the sense of the word.

There are those rare beings whose bearing is demure for whom I hold great admiration, but as many as I can think of whom I admire for being demure, just as many come to mind who are anything but and I love them just as much for their unbridled enthusiasm and outlandishness.

From Iolanthe, The Nightmare Song:

SONG-LORD CHANCELLOR.
"When you're lying awake with a dismal headache, and repose is taboo'd by anxiety,
I conceive you may use any language you choose to indulge in, without impropriety;
For your brain is on fire - the bedclothes conspire of usual slumber to plunder you:
First your counterpane goes, and uncovers your toes, and your sheet slips demurely from under you..."

Lord, that poem sounds all the world like menopausal night sweats to me!

demurely slipping sheet indeed....if I were in the throes of something like that, I would have viciously yanked the sheet and mangled it!

Sorry wwh...but we *do seem to have lost all sense of decorum and demureness..(scuffing toes)

Any relation to demur?

demure is related to Latin mos (singular),mores = customs,manners

demur is related to Latin mora = delay, be unwilling to agree,take exception to