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dissemble

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Dissemble is defined as to hide or be dishonest about your true motives, feelings or beliefs.

(verb)

An example of dissemble is a person who is pretending to be your friend but who really just wants an invitation to your beach house.

See dissemble in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb dissembled, dissembling

to conceal under a false appearance; disguise: to dissemble fear by smiling
Obsolete to pretend to be in a state of; simulate; feign: to dissemble innocence
Obsolete to pretend not to notice; ignore

Origin: ME dissemblen < OFr dessembler < des-, dis- + sembler < L simulare: see simulate

intransitive verb

to conceal the truth, or one's true feelings, motives, etc., by pretense; behave hypocritically

Related Forms:

dissemblance noun
dissembler noun

See dissemble in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb dis·sem·bled, dis·sem·bling, dis·sem·bles

verb, transitive

To disguise or conceal behind a false appearance. See Synonyms at disguise.
To make a false show of; feign.

verb, intransitive

To disguise or conceal one's real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English dissemblen

Origin: , from Old French dessembler, to be different

Origin: : des-, dis-

Origin: + sembler, to appear, seem; see semblable

Related Forms:

dis·semˈblance noun

dis·semˈbler noun

dis·semˈbling·ly adverb

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