Crossword clues for discountenance
discountenance
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Discountenance \Dis*coun"te*nance\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Discountenanced; p. pr. & vb. n. Discountenancing.] [Pref. dis- + countenance: cf. OF. descontenancer, F. d['e]contenancer.]
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To ruffle or discompose the countenance of; to put of countenance; to put to shame; to abash.
How would one look from his majestic brow . . . Discountenance her despised!
--Milton.The hermit was somewhat discountenanced by this observation.
--Sir W. Scott. -
To refuse to countenance, or give the support of one's approval to; to give one's influence against; to restrain by cold treatment; to discourage.
A town meeting was convened to discountenance riot.
--Bancroft.
Discountenance \Dis*coun"te*nance\, n. Unfavorable aspect; unfriendly regard; cold treatment; disapprobation; whatever tends to check or discourage.
He thought a little discountenance on those persons
would suppress that spirit.
--Clarendon.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"put to shame," 1570s, from Middle French descontenancer (16c.) "to abash," from des- (see dis-) + contenancer (see countenance).
Wiktionary
vb. 1 To have an unfavorable opinion of; to deprecate or disapprove of. 2 To abash, embarrass or disconcert.
WordNet
v. look with disfavor on; "The republic soon discountenanced its few friends"
show disapproval by discouraging; "any measure tending to fuse invalids into a class with special privileges should be discountenanced"
Usage examples of "discountenance".
With rare insight and rarer taste he discountenanced the prevalent Merovingian hand, and substituted in eclectic hand, known as the Carolingian Minuscule, which way still be regarded as a model of clearness and elegance.
Wisdom in discourse with her Loses discountenanced, and like Folly shows.
To secure a continuance of that devotion the compromises of the Constitution must not only be preserved, but sectional jealousies and heartburnings must be discountenanced, and all should remember that they are members of the same political family, having a common destiny.
If the compromises of the Constitution be preserved, if sectional jealousies and heartburnings be discountenanced, if our laws be just and the Government be practically administered strictly within the limits of power prescribed to it, we may discard all apprehensions for the safety of the Union.
But, I say, they discountenanced them as much as they were able, and showed them all the dislike that they could.
But Mrs Schoenbaum at once discountenanced that supposition by saying: "Well, like I always said, Irwin, that's only natural.
These qualifications, which endeared her to every other person, excited the jealousy and displeasure of her supposed aunt, who could not bear to see her own children eclipsed by this illegitimate daughter, whom she therefore discountenanced upon all occasions, and exposed to such mortifications as would in all appearance drive her from her father's house.
During the whole time consumed in the slow growth of this family tree, the house of Smallweed, always early to go out and late to marry, has strengthened itself in its practical character, has discarded all amusements, discountenanced all story-books, fairytales, fictions, and fables, and banished all levities whatsoever.
She was surprised, out of all measure, discountenanced, taken all aback, and when she found her breath, gave voice to a great "Oh" of dismay and distress.
You have been wisely admonished to "accustom yourselves to think and speak of the Union as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity, watching for its preservation with Jealous anxiety, discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned, and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of any attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.