1893 text
‘Demurrage’ is the compensation due to a shipowner from a freighter for unduly decaying his vessel in port beyond the time specified in the charter-party or bill of lading. It is in fact an extended freight. A ship, unjustly detained as a prize is entitled to ‘demurrage.’
— Smyth’s Sailor’s Word-Book, 1867.
This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.
1 Annotation
First Reading
indoctus • Link
Demorage (0) Also 7 demourage, 7-8 demorage. [a. OF. demorage, demourage, f. demorer, -mourer: see DEMUR v.]
1. Stay; delay; hesitation; pause. Obs.
source : OED selections
a 1656 USSHER Ann. (1658) 20 That long demourage of theirs in Kadesh.
1702 C. MATHER Magn. Chr. II. App. (1852) 171 Powerful enemies clogged his affairs with such demurrages and such disappointments as would have wholly discouraged his designs
b. Constrained delay, detention. Obs. rare. 1810
2. Comm. a. Detention of a vessel by the freighter beyond the time agreed upon; the payment made in compensation for such detention.
1641 Rebels' Remonstr. in Rushw. Hist. Coll. III. (1692) I. 389 A certain Summ, for the doing thereof within such a time; and if they stay'd longer, to have so much per diem for demurrage.
1694 tr. Milton's Lett. State July an. 1656, A considerable Sum of Money owing from certain Portugal Merchants..to several English Merchants, upon the account of Freightage and Demorage.
[a. F. demeure, vbl. n. from demeurer: see next.]
Demur n 1. Delay, lingering, waiting. Obs.
a1300
1660 HICKERINGILL Jamaica (1661) 51 Timely alarum'd by Jacksons Demurres, at the Harbours mouth, for four days Space.
b. Stay, abode, residence. Obs. 1444 ....
c. Continuance, duration. Obs. 1533
2. Hesitation; pause; state of irresolution or doubt. Obs. 1581
3. The act of demurring; an objection raised or exception taken to a proposed course of action, etc.
1639 MAYNE City Match IV. ii, Sister, 'tis so projected, therefore make No more demurs
4. Law. = DEMURRER1. Obs. c1555
1660 WILLSFORD Scales Comm. Avjb, To procrastinate with Demurs, or Fines and Recoveries without end.
1713
Demur [a. F. demeurer, in OF. demorer, -mourer (= Pr. and Sp. demorare, It. dimorare) Lat: demor are = cl. L. de mor ari to tarry, delay, f. DE- I. 3 + mor ari to delay. The OF. demor-, demour-, proper to the forms with atonic radical vowel, was at length assimilated to the tonic form demeur-; the latter gave the ME. forms demeore, demere: cf. PEOPLE, and the forms meve, preve (F. meuve, preuve) of MOVE, PROVE.]
1. intr. To linger, tarry, wait; fig. to dwell upon something. Obs. a1225
b. To stay, remain, abide. Obs. 1523
c. To last, endure, continue. Obs. 1547
2. trans. To cause to tarry; to put off, delay.
1613 PURCHAS Pilgrimage II. xviii. 174 Whose judgement is demurred until the day of Reconciliation.
1635 QUARLES Embl. IV. x. (1818) 239 The lawyer..then demurs me with a vain delay.
1682 D'URFEY Butler's Ghost 69, I swear.. Henceforth to take a rougher course, And, what you would demur to force.
3. intr. To hesitate; to delay or suspend action; to pause in uncertainty. Obs. 1641 MILTON
b. To be of doubtful mind; to remain doubtful. Obs. rare. 1612
c. trans. To hesitate about. Obs. rare.
1667 MILTON P.L. IX. 558 What may this mean? Language of Man pronounc't By Tongue of Brute, and human sense exprest? The first..I thought deni'd To Beasts..The latter I demurre, for in thir looks Much reason, and in thir actions oft appeers.
4. intr. To make scruples or difficulties; to raise objection, take exception to (occas. at, on). (The current sense; often with allusion to the legal sense, 5.) 1639
5. Law. (intr.) To put in a DEMURRER.
[a1481 LITTLETON Tenures §96 Et fuist demurre en iudgement en mesme le plee, le quel les xl. iours serront accompts de le primer iour del muster de host le Roy.]
1620 J. WILKINSON Coroners & Sherifes 60 It was demurred on in Law......
1660 Trial of Regic. 107, I must demur to your Jurisdiction.
demure the e version
[A derived or extended form of meure, mewre, MURE a., used in same sense, a. OF. meur, now mûr, 'ripe, mature, mellow; also, discreet, considerate, aduised, setled, stayed' (Cotgr. 1611). The nature and history of the prefixed de- are obscure.
(Palsgrave, 1530, has p. 841/1 'Sadly, wysly, demeurement', p. 841/2 'Soberly, sadly, meurement'; but demeurement is not otherwise known as French.)]
A. adj
1. Calm, settled, still. Obs. 1377
2. Of persons (and their bearing, speech, etc.): Sober, grave, serious; reserved or composed in demeanour. (Cf. history of SAD.) 14..
1632 MILTON Penseroso 32 Come, pensive Nun, devout and pure, Sober, steadfast, and demure.
1653 H. MORE Antid. Ath. III. i. (1712) 87 Notwithstanding he fared no worse than the most demure and innocent.
demure v [f. prec. adj.]
1. intr. ? To look demurely, 'to look with an affected modesty' (J.). But cf. DEMUR v. 3b. 1606 SHAKES