discountenance
[dis-koun-tn-uh ns]
verb (used with object), dis·coun·te·nanced, dis·coun·te·nanc·ing.
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
disapproval; disapprobation.
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Should I say try and or try to? How about would have or would of?Replace try and (I will try and fix it) with try to (I will try to fix it). Some grammarians label try and as incorrect when really it is just very informal and best used in conversation. Try to is standard usage and appropriate for all levels of formality in both speech and writing. Other colloquial constructions are synonymous, or nearly so, with try to, such as be sure to and go and. Often try and is interchangeable withtry …
RELATED WORDS
discourage, deprecate, disapprove, disesteem, resist, disfavor, condemn, dispute, discomfit, discompose, chagrin, rattle, confuse, shame, abash, faze, humiliate, discommend
Nearby words
- discount house,
- discount market,
- discount rate,
- discount store,
- discounted cash flow,
- discounter,
- discourage,
- discouragement,
- discourse,
- discourse analysis
Origin of discountenance
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for discountenance
discountenance
verb (tr)
noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
discountenance
"put to shame," 1570s, from Middle French descontenancer (16c.) "to abash," from des- (see dis-) + contenancer (see countenance).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper