Man holding a teacup and laughing in an office
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When you say humour me, you are asking someone to simplify what they are saying. It implies that you know that the other person might find it silly or pointless. It is an expression that shows humility.
This expression is appropriate for use in personal and professional settings as it asks others to explain their ideas in a way that you can understand. It is especially appropriate when someone is using specialized language.
- John told me that his ideas about climate change could only be understood by scientists and specialists, but I asked him to humour me as I was curious to hear what he had to say.
- My manager is really good at humouring me when the subject goes right over my head. The great thing is that she does this with the utmost respect.
- Alex: I don’t really need to explain how this works, Julie, considering it was you who designed it.
Julie: Humour me, Alex. I'd like to see if a high school student could get it.
Did you know? Humour me comes from the Latin word for “liquid” or “fluid.” It originally referred to the four chief substances that ancient Greeks believed flowed through our bodies, or the humours. Each substance was associated with a personality trait, and each person’s unique mixture dictated their personality.