discountenance Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb look with disfavor on
- The republic soon discountenanced its few friends
verb show disapproval by discouraging
- any measure tending to fuse invalids into a class with special privileges should be discountenanced

Pref. dis- + countenance: cf. OF. descontenancer, F. décontenancer.

imperfect & past participle Discountenanced ; present participle & verbal noun Discountenancing

To ruffle or discompose the countenance of; to put of countenance; to put to shame; to abash.
How would one look from his majestic brow . . . Discountenance her despised! Milton.

The hermit was somewhat discountenanced by this observation. Sir W. Scott.
To refuse to countenance, or give the support of one's approval to; to give one's influence against; to restrain by cold treatment; to discourage.
A town meeting was convened to discountenance riot. Bancroft.

Unfavorable aspect; unfriendly regard; cold treatment; disapprobation; whatever tends to check or discourage.
He thought a little discountenance on those persons would suppress that spirit. Clarendon.