discountenance
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to disconcert, embarrass, or abash.
With his composure, he survived every attempt to discountenance him.
-
to show disapproval of.
The teachers discountenanced smoking by the students.
noun
verb
-
to make ashamed or confused
-
to disapprove of
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of discountenance
First recorded in 1570–80; dis- 1 + countenance
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But when Hamilton pleaded a second time, Reverend Moore agreed, provided that if he lived, Hamilton would “employ all your influence in society to discountenance this barbarous custom.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 5, 2016
With affability, not anger, does he discountenance the evildoer.
From Time Magazine Archive
Dr. Fairfax skilled to discountenance indignities, replied: "I am standing here on my two feet—and here I stay!"
From Time Magazine Archive
American principles of fair play discountenance attempts to condemn a person by compelling him to disclose his own transgressions.
From Time Magazine Archive
I shall always wish to see you clothed decently and becoming your station; but I shall ever discountenance extravagance or foppishness in your dress.
From Dorothy Payne, Quakeress A Side-Light upon the Career of 'Dolly' Madison by Ella Kent Barnard
The same ship that carried discountenanced Warlord Chang Hsueh-liang and his 17 "secretaries" from Shanghai last week also bore Benito Mussolini's son-in-law, Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister to China, going home for a vacation.
From Time Magazine Archive
Colorado mine operators discountenanced the comparatively conservative United Mine Workers some time ago, introducing company unions to replace branches of the A. F. of L. subsidiary.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Committee concludes that, in nearly all instances, weapons discountenanced by international law were first employed by the Allies and then adopted in "rightful reprisal" by The Central Powers.
From Time Magazine Archive
When deprived of the regular Democratic nomination, he had firmly discountenanced a "McKee Anyway" movement.
From Time Magazine Archive
A king of course can do no wrong; but amongst people of lower degree the habit should be discountenanced, both on the score of expense, and of decency.
From The Life of a Celebrated Buccaneer A Page of Past History for the Use of the Children of To-day by Richard Clynton
To Gabon's 6,000 Frenchmen that meant only one thing: the U.S. had been behind the abortive coup in hopes of discountenancing le grand Charles.
From Time Magazine Archive
Several bond houses wrote back, politely but firmly discountenancing the notion of preferring stocks to bonds as investments.
From Time Magazine Archive
This he did for the purpose of discountenancing and reprobating the cry that had been raised of "Peace and a large loaf."
From Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq. — Volume 2 by Henry Hunt
I must beg, therefore, that, if the rumor be true, you use all practicable means, even to the use of your parental authority, in discountenancing and forbidding such intimacy.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 16, No. 98, December, 1865 by Various
He would cross-examine her as to their origin, thereby teasing and perhaps even discountenancing her somewhat.
From Deadham Hard by Lucas Malet
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
