discountenance
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
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to make ashamed or confused
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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
American principles of fair play discountenance attempts to condemn a person by compelling him to disclose his own transgressions.
From Time Magazine Archive
They did not, as was generally reported, decide to discountenance Loucheur's efforts at an agreement with Britain.
From Time Magazine Archive
And in order to promote industry and the peace and welfare of the citizens of Oregon, this government must be prepared to discountenance indolence, and check vice in the bud.
From A History of Oregon, 1792-1849 Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information by Gray, William Henry
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
Most charitable view of the matter is that Mr. Curtis, having discovered how his name was being used, discountenanced his henchmen.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Board through its business conduct committee, has always discountenanced bear raids and manipulations of prices, and it again instructs that commit tee to take particularly vigorous measures to prevent such activities.
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
She was not discountenanced when she saw us; nor would she even allow me to leave them, but told Ariston what she had to say simply and in a few words.
From The Woman Who Vowed The Demetrian by Harding, Ellison
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
The educated women among us need to set the pace in discountenancing the social glass in their homes.
From Twentieth Century Negro Literature Or, A Cyclopedia of Thought on the Vital Topics Relating to the American Negro by Culp, Daniel Wallace
So that, while discountenancing one-hand plays when two hands may be used, I still think every fielder should practice one-hand catches, to be prepared for such a play when it becomes necessary.
From Base-Ball How to Become a Player by Ward, John M.
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 Hunt, Henry
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.
