discourage Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb try to prevent; show opposition to
    deter.
    • We should discourage this practice among our youth
  2. verb deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged
  3. verb admonish or counsel in terms of someone's behavior
    warn; admonish; monish.
    • I warned him not to go too far
    • I warn you against false assumptions
    • She warned him to be quiet

WordNet

Dis*cour"age transitive verb
Etymology
Pref. dis- + courage: cf. OF. descoragier, F. décourager: pref. des- (L. dis-) + corage, F. courage. See Courage.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Discouraged ; present participle & verbal noun Discouraging
Definitions
  1. To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject; -- the opposite of encourage; as, he was discouraged in his undertaking; he need not be discouraged from a like attempt.
    Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Col. iii. 21.
  2. To dishearten one with respect to; to discountenance; to seek to check by disfavoring; to deter one from; as, they discouraged his efforts. Syn. -- To dishearten; dispirit; depress; deject; dissuade; disfavor.
Dis*cour"age noun
Definitions
  1. Lack of courage; cowardliness.

Webster 1913