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A.Word.A.Day--demur

demur (di-MUR) verb intr.

1. To voice opposition; object: demurred at the suggestion.

2. Law. To enter a demurrer (A method of objecting that admits the facts of the opponent's argument but denies that they sustain the pleading based upon them).

3. To delay.

noun

1. The act of demurring.

2. An objection.

3. A delay.

[Middle English demuren, to delay, from Anglo-Norman demurer, from Latin demorari : de- + morari, to delay (from mora, delay).]

"As press photographers tried to snap pictures of Chim, he demurred, saying: `Don't be like that. I am not a public figure anymore and I don't want to be pictured.'" Angel Lau, Camera-shy Chim fights costs, Hong Kong Standard, 16 Oct 1998.

This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words.

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