Demur

[imp. & p. p. DEMURRED; p. pr. & vb. n. DEMURRING.] [O. Fr. demurer, demourer, demorer, now demeurer, Fr., Sp., & Pg. demorar, It. dimorare, Lat. demorari, from de and morari, to delay, tarry, stay, from mora, delay.] 1. To linger; to stay; to abide. [Obs.] Yet durst they not demur nor abide upon the camp. Nicols. 2. To delay; to pause; to suspend proceedings in view of a doubt or difficulty; to put off determination or conclusion. Upon this rub, the English embassadors thought fit to demur. Hayward. 3. (Law.) To raise an objection in law at any point in the pleadings, and rest or abide upon it for a decision by the court.

v. t. 1. To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of. [Obs.]

The latter I demur; for in their looks Much reason, and in their actions oft appears. Milton.

2Sense 2. To cause delay to; to put off. [Obs.]

He demands a fee, And then demurs me with a vain delay. Quarles.