What does digress mean?

Definitions for digress
dɪˈgrɛs, daɪ-di·gress

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word digress.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. digress, stray, divagate, wanderverb

    lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking

    "She always digresses when telling a story"; "her mind wanders"; "Don't digress when you give a lecture"

  2. sidetrack, depart, digress, straggleverb

    wander from a direct or straight course

Wiktionary

  1. digressverb

    To step or turn aside; to deviate; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking.

  2. digressverb

    To turn aside from the right path; to transgress; to offend.

  3. Etymology: From digressum, past participle of digredi.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To DIGRESSverb

    Etymology: digressus, Latin.

    In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition, as often as a man varies the signification of any term. John Locke.

    It seemeth, to digress no farther, that the Tartarians, spreading so far, cannot be the Israelites. Edward Brerewood.

    I am come to keep my word,
    Though in some part am forced to digress,
    Which at more leisure I will so excuse
    As you shall well be satisfied. William Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew.

    Thy noble shape is but a form of wax,
    Digressing from the valour of a man. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

Wikipedia

  1. digress

    Digression (parékbasis in Greek, egressio, digressio and excursion in Latin) is a section of a composition or speech that marks a temporary shift of subject; the digression ends when the writer or speaker returns to the main topic. Digressions can be used intentionally as a stylistic or rhetorical device. In classical rhetoric since Corax of Syracuse, especially in Institutio Oratoria of Quintilian, the digression was a regular part of any oration or composition. After setting out the topic of a work and establishing the need for attention to be given, the speaker or author would digress to a seemingly disconnected subject before returning to a development of the composition's theme, a proof of its validity, and a conclusion. A schizothemia is a digression by means of a long reminiscence. Cicero was a master of digression, particularly in his ability to shift from the specific question or issue at hand (the hypothesis) to the more general issue or question that it depended upon (the thesis). As was the case with most ancient orators, Cicero's apparent digression always turned out to bear directly upon the issue at hand. During the Second Sophistic (in Imperial Rome), the ability to guide a speech away from a stated theme and then back again with grace and skill came to be a mark of true eloquence.

ChatGPT

  1. digress

    To digress is to deviate or wander away from the main topic or purpose in speaking or writing; diverge from the principal line of argument, plot, study, etc.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Digressverb

    to step or turn aside; to deviate; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking

  2. Digressverb

    to turn aside from the right path; to transgress; to offend

  3. Digressnoun

    digression

  4. Etymology: [L. digressus, p. p. of digredi to go apart, to deviate; di- = dis- + gradi to step, walk. See Grade.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Digress

    di-gres′, v.i. to step aside or go from the main subject: to introduce irrelevant matter.—n. Digres′sion, a going from the main point: a part of a discourse not upon the main subject.—adjs. Digres′sional, Digress′ive, of the nature of a digression: departing from the main subject.—adv. Digress′ively. [L. digredi, digressusdi, aside, gradi, to step. See Grade.]

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of digress in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of digress in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of digress in a Sentence

  1. Dennis Riordan:

    I think the 10-1 vote indicates that it was a farce, the greatest impact is the damage it undid. We had a panel opinion that said if you're asked a question on page 78 and you digress before you answer it directly on page 81, you're a federal felon.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for digress

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"digress." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/digress>.

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