From the Oxford English Dictionary (Far better than Merriam-Webster)
condescend, v.
I. To come down voluntarily.
1. lit. To come down, go down, descend. Obs.
c1485 Digby Myst. (1882) II. 172 Ffor to breke down the chyrchys thus I condescende. 1513 DOUGLAS Æneis III. ii. 44 Condiscend in our myndis [animis illabere nostris] and schaw this plane. 1657 TOMLINSON Renou's Disp. 112 They scarce condescend to the places about the Liver. 1686 W. DE BRITAINE Hum. Prud. xv. 65 The Kite, which flyeth high in the Air, yet vouchsafes to condescend to Carrion upon the ground.
2. fig. To come or bend down, so far as a particular action is concerned, from one's position of dignity or pride; to stoop voluntarily and graciously; to deign: a. to do something.
c1430 LYDG. Min. Poems, To Dk. of Glouc., Right myghty prince..Condescende leyser for to take To se th' entent of this litel bille. 1509 HAWES Past. Pleas. II. xii, To nouryshe slouthe he may not condiscende. 1696 TATE & BRADY Ps. lxxvi. 2 In Sion condescends to dwell. 1734-5 in Swift's Lett. (1766) II. 211 I desire you will condescend to make my compliments to Dr. Delaney. 1855 MACAULAY Hist. Eng. IV. 315 The Cavaliers condescended to take a lesson in the art of taxation from the Roundheads. 1860 MRS. CARLYLE Lett. III. 19 The dressmakers..won't condescend to make anything but with their own materials.
b. to a course or action. Cf. to stoop to.
1549 LATIMER Ploughers (Arb.) 31, I..haue obeyed him [the devil] a little to much in condesce[n]tinge to some follies. 1661 BRAMHALL Just Vind. v. 89 Saint Peter out of modesty might condescend and submit to that to which he was not obliged in duty. 1867 SMILES Huguenots Eng. x. (1880) 165 [they] condescended to the meanest employments, for the purpose of disarming suspicion. 1883 FROUDE Short Stud. IV. iii. 272 Origen was too high a man to condescend to wilful misrepresentation.
c. (In bad sense) To lower oneself, stoop.
1640 SIR H. GRIMSTONE Laud in Neal Hist. Purit. II, He had condescended so low as to deal in Tobacco.
3. ‘To depart from the privileges of superiority by a voluntary submission; to sink willingly to equal terms with inferiours’ (J.); to be condescending in one's relations with others.
(The meaning of the translators in quot. 1611 is not clear.)
1611 BIBLE Rom. xii. 16 Minde not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. 1824 BYRON Juan XVI. xcv, Adeline was..watching, witching, condescending To the consumers of fish, fowl, and game, And dignity with courtesy so blending. 1863 MRS. C. CLARKE Shaks. Char. xiv. 359 Like a true lout, he does not see that they have condescended to him, but he instantly rushes on to their level. 1863 P. S. WORSLEY Poems 10 The god, condescending to his child.
II. To make concessions; to comply, consent, concur, agree. [earlier than i. in mod. langs.]
4. To yield or deferentially give way; to show oneself deferential, compliant, or complaisant; to accommodate oneself to. a. refl. (The earliest instance.) Obs.
1340 Ayenb. 157 Ich me ssel..a-yens ham paye and condecendre ine dede and ine speche ham uor to wynne to god.
b. intr. Obs. (blending finally with 2b.)
1429 Rolls of Parl. IV. 343 Olesse..the resones of that other partie cause hem to condescende forthwith unto hem, the matter shal dwelle in deliberation. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 58b, To gyue reuerence to euery persone, and to condescende to theyr wylles in thynges lawfull and honest. 1563-87 FOXE A. & M. (1684) I. 198/2 He [pope hildebrand] bound [them] by their oaths, that at no time, nor for any cause they should condescend unto the king. 1609 HOLLAND Amm. Marcell. XXIX. v. 373 Theodosius gave eare and condiscended to [paruit] his words. 1671 MILTON Samson 1337 Can they think..that my mind ever Will condescend to such absurd commands? 1677 in T. W. Marsh Early Friends Surrey & Sus. 104 Wee..doe so far condescend as to grant him till the next monthly meeting then to be present. 1794 GODWIN Cal. Williams 73 He was resolved to condescend no further to the whims of a person.
5. To give one's consent, to accede or agree to (a proposal, request, measure, etc.); to acquiesce. a. refl. [cf. of. se condescendre.] Obs.
1489 CAXTON Faytes of A. I. xix 61 Thou oughtist the sooner to condescende thy self to a trayctee.
b. intr. Const. to a thing. Obs.
1475 CAXTON Jason 66 The lady condescended..to his departing. 1579 FENTON Guicciard. (1618) 244 Which request being condescended vnto by Gonsaluo. 1580 SIDNEY Arcadia (1622) 33 Inuiting them to the hunting of a goodly Stagge..They condiscended. 1649 MILTON Eikon. iv. (1851) 359 The king..having both call'd this Parlament unwillingly, and as unwillingly..condescended to their several acts. 1737 WHISTON Josephus' Antiq. I. xxi, To which desire he condescended. 1745 ELIZA HEYWOOD Female Spect. (1748) III. 229 They have..pleasure in condescending to whatever they perceive to be the inclination of each other.
c. Const. to do a thing. Obs.
1579 FENTON Guicciard. (1618) 244 Valentinois condescended to giue to the Pope the assignement of the Castle of Cesena. 1595 T. MAYNARDE Drake's Voy. (Hakluyt Soc.) 23 Which made me condescend to leave the Indies, with all her treasure. 1676 W. HUBBARD Happiness of People Pref., For their sakes..I have condescended to make it Legible.
d. with that and obj. clause. Obs.
1557 NORTH tr. Gueuara's Diall Pr. 97 a/1 It shold not be iust..that Rome shuld condescende, that any woman..receyue shame. 1563-87 FOXE A. & M. (1684) I. 195/1 With these reasons of Lanfranke, Thomas gave over, condescending that the first of his Province should begin at Humber. 1632 HAYWARD tr. Biondi's Eromena 95 When the Chirurgians condescend that you may (without danger) get up. 1717 Col. Rec. Penn. III. 36 The Governour at last Condescended, that the said Commissions be Issued.
6. trans. To concede, vouchsafe (a thing); to deign to give or grant. Obs.
1599 SANDYS Europæ Spec. (1632) 196 Some of the later Popes condescend to them of Bavaria the Cup in the Sacrament. 1704 HEARNE Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 185 That Nation which the Almighty was pleased to Honour so far as to condescend his Presence and Revelation to. 1774 T. JEFFERSON Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 130 No answers having yet been condescended to any of these [applications].
7. intr. To assent to (a statement, opinion, etc.).
1548 GEST Pr. Masse 122 To this the Catho[li]ques condiscende as most certayn. 1617 MARKHAM Caval. I. 60 To that opinion I must needs condiscend.
8. To come to an agreement; to agree or determine with, or together. a. to do (a thing). Obs.
1494 FABYAN II. xxx. 23 Both brethrene..condescended and agreed to lede their both hosts into Gallia. 1549 Compl. Scot. xii. 102 Thai condiscendit to cheis the leyst of tua euillis. 1568 GRAFTON Chron. II. 793 The nobles and commons..have fully condiscended and utterly determined to make humble petition. 1597 HOOKER Eccl. Pol. V. lxxix, §9 They easily condescended to think it..fit that God, etc.
b. that and obj. clause. Obs.
a1552 LELAND Brit. Coll. (1774) II. 469 This Edwarde Baillol condescendid with Edwarde King of England..that, etc. 1610 in J. J. Raven Ch. Bells Camb. (1881) 69 The parishioners..did..condicend and agree that the bell-frame should be repayred. 1623 WHITBOURNE Newfoundland 58 They did all condescend and order..that no subject to your Majesty should commit any more such abuses.
c. upon, on, or to (an action, measure, etc.); often with indirect pass. Mostly Sc. or north.
1509 BARCLAY Shyp of Folys (1570) 140 Then must they to some agreement condiscende. 1549 COVERDALE Erasm. Par. Rom. Argt., Whiche pointes were for a tyme onely condescended vpon. 1565 ALLEN in Fulke's Two Treatises (1577) 425 The Patriarche..fully condescendinge with the Romane Church vpon the trueth of purgatory. 1619 DALTON Country Just. cxxiii. (1630) 375 Justices of Peace did condiscend upon certain articles. a1649 DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN Jas. V Wks. 90 The governour assembled the three estates at Edinburgh, which together condescended to the raising of an army. 1652 N. Riding Rec. V. 107 That the Clarke of the Peace enter this ensueing agreement..it being fully condiscended unto att this Sessions. 1678 A. LOVELL tr. La Fontaine's Mil. Duties Caval. 138 The Ingineers having..with him condescended on the way by which the line of Circumvallation is to be carried.
d. absol. To enter into an agreement; to conspire. Obs.
1568 GRAFTON Chron. II. 685 To condiscende or take parte against the house of Yorke.
9. to be condescended: to be agreed. Obs.
c1386 CHAUCER Merch. T. 361 And whan that he on hir was condescendid, Him thought his chois mighte nought be amendid. c1430 LYDG. Bochas IX. xx. (1554) 204b, The sayd brethren wer fully condiscended Upon this point. c1470 HARDING Chron. CCXVII. iv, They were by appoyntment Accorded well, and clerely condiscent. 1522 SKELTON Why nat to Courte 1020 Thriftles and gracelesse, Together are bended, And so condescended, That, etc. 1592 WEST Symbol. I. §103 The said parties to these present Indentures bin condiscended and agreed in manner..folowing.
10. trans. To agree upon, consent to. Chiefly in pass. (with it). Obs.
1477 Paston Lett. No. 786 III. 174 Som deme that ther shall be condyssendyd, that iff E. P. come to London that hys costs shall be payed ffor. 1532 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 109 It is condiscended by the hole Counsayll, that the fyshemongers shall have all the stondyngs. 1587 FLEMING Contn. Holinshed III. 1421/1 All the contributions which are agreed and condescended. 1594 WEST Symbol. II. Chancerie §119 Which said order and arbiterment, he the said R. together with your said Orator did willinglie agree and condiscend. 1663 SPALDING Troub. Chas. I (1829) 77 It was condescended among his friends, that twenty-four gentlemen..should weekly attend.
11. intr. To agree, harmonize, or concur.
1501 DOUGLAS Pal. Hon. I. xlv, Thay [singers] condiscend sa weill in ane accord. 1549 Compl. Scot. xi. 98 Thai al beand ane be ane examinit condiscendit in ane ansuer. Ibid. xx. 186. 1560 ROLLAND Crt. Venus I. 729 Aganis quhome..We condiscend all heir in vnioun. 1571 Sempill Ballates 130 Thocht on ane course we can nocht condescend.
III. To settle or fix upon a particular point.
12. intr. To settle down to, come definitely to (a point in narration, etc.). Obs.
c1386 CHAUCER Sqr.'s T. 399, I sholde to the knotte [of my tale] condescende. 1490 CAXTON Eneydos xvi. 66 He abode longe..wythoute to sette his purpose to condescende to ony parte of that he wald do. 1528 GARDINER in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. App. xxiv. 62 His hoo[liness]..doth desire them with spede to condescend to oon opinion or other.
13. To come to particulars. Obs.
c1386 CHAUCER Melib. 268 e han wel and couenably taught me as in general, etc... But now wold I fayn e wolde condescende as in especial & telle me, etc.
b. esp. to condescend upon: to pitch or fix upon, specify, particularize, mention particularly or by name. Sc.; ‘but condescend upon particulars has recently appeared in Eng. newspapers’ (N.E.D., 1891).
1549 Compl. Scot. xx. (1872) 178, I can nocht condiscend in special on na man that hes committit ony trason. 1634 CANNE Necess. Separ. (1849) 95 The prophet..condescended upon no time, lest he should have been convinced of a lie. 1706 SIBBALD Hist. Picts in Misc. Scot. I. 90 Spottiswood condescendeth on the year of Christ 370, when Hergustus was king of the Picts. 1717 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 300, I know not well how to condescend on particulars. 1807 J. HEADRICK Arran 134 No one could condescend on any specific harm these animals had done. 1887 Times 18 Mar., When he condescends upon particulars, he certainly has some damaging facts to produce. 1888 Pall Mall G. 4 Aug. 1/1 We are not going to condescend upon particulars.
c. with clause (with or without upon).
1696 in Aubrey Misc. (1721) 199 Thus his Sight could not inform him whether the Arrow should be shot in him alive or dead, neither could he condescend whether near or afar off. 1754 ERSKINE Princ. Sc. Law (1809) 294 When the witnesses were not specially designed in a deed, or perhaps not so much as named, the party founding on it was..allowed to condescend who the witnesses were.
d. (?) trans. To specify particularly. Obs.
1510 Will of Wall (Somerset Ho.), I condescende, ordayn, and make [a and b] myn executors.