different between cheapen vs decry

English

Etymology

cheap +? -en

Verb

cheapen (third-person singular simple present cheapens, present participle cheapening, simple past and past participle cheapened)

1. (transitive) to decrease the value of; to make cheaper
2. (transitive) to make vulgar
3. (intransitive) to become cheaper
4. (transitive, obsolete) to bargain for, ask the price of.

Derived terms

• cheapen out

Translations

Anagrams

• ha'pence, peachen

English

Etymology

From Old French descrier (“to shout”), from des- (“out, away, off, down”) + crier (“to cry”); see cry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??k?a?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Verb

decry (third-person singular simple present decries, present participle decrying, simple past and past participle decried)

1. (transitive) To denounce as harmful.
   • 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 99:

     All of us seem to need some totalistic relationships in our lives. But to decry the fact that we cannot have only such relationships is nonsense.

   • 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 474:

     While decrying bureaucracy and demanding participatory democracy they, themselves, frequently attempt to manipulate the very group of workers, blacks or students on whose behalf they demand participation.

2. (transitive) To blame for ills.

Translations

References

• Chambers's Etymological Dictionary, 1896, p. 114
• decry in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• decry in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• decry at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• cedry, cyder