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Discourage

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.

Synonym: to dishearten, dispirit, depress, deject, dissuade, disfavor.

Origin: Pref. Dis- _ courage: cf. OF. Descoragier, f. Decourager: pref. Des- (L. Dis-) _ corage, f. Courage. See Courage.