Demur — Defs

01 v. i. To linger; to stay; to tarry.

imp. & p. p. Demurred; p. pr. & vb. n. Demurring

1.
To linger; to stay; to tarry.[Obs.]
“Yet durst not demur nor abide upon the camp.” — Nicols.
2.
To delay; to pause; to suspend proceedings or judgment in view of a doubt or difficulty; to hesitate; to put off the determination or conclusion of an affair.
“Upon this rub, the English embassadors thought fit to demur.” — Hayward.
3.
To scruple or object; to take exception, especially on the basis of scruple or modesty; as, I demur to that statement; they wanted to make him president, but he demurred.
“From the popular assertion that he was the smartest man in the world Gell-Mann was not predisposed to demur.” — Timothy Ferris, in Coming of Age in the Milky Way (Doubleday, New York, 1989).
4.
To interpose a demurrer. See Demurrer, 2.(Law) See: Demurrer

02 v. t. To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about.

1.
To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about.[Obs.]
“The latter I demur, for in their looks Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears.” — Milton.
2.
To cause delay to; to put off.[Obs.]
“He demands a fee, And then demurs me with a vain delay.” — Quarles.

03 n. Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple.

1.
Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple.
“All my demurs but double his attacks; At last he whispers, “Do; and we go snacks.”” — Pope.