different between discourage vs diminish
discourage
English
Etymology
From Middle French descourager (modern French décourager), from Old French descouragier, from des- and corage. Surface analysis dis- +? courage.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /d?s?k???d??/
- (General American) IPA(key): /d?s?k??d??/
- Hyphenation: dis?cour?age
Verb
discourage (third-person singular simple present discourages, present participle discouraging, simple past and past participle discouraged) (transitive)
- (transitive) To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject.
- Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
- (transitive) To persuade somebody not to do (something).
- 1854, Abraham Lincoln. Notes for a Law Lecture
- Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.
- 1854, Abraham Lincoln. Notes for a Law Lecture
Synonyms
- becourage
- deter
- dissuade
Antonyms
- encourage
Translations
Noun
discourage (uncountable)
- (rare) Lack of courage
Synonyms
- (lack of courage): cowardliness
Further reading
- discourage in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
discourage From the web:
- what discourages minerals from achieving habit
- what discourage mean
- what discourages you
- what discourages international trade
- what discourages the drilling crew
- what discourages physical activity
- what discourages political participation
- what discourages you interview question
diminish
English
Etymology
Formed under the influence of both diminue (from Old French diminuer, from Latin d?minuo) and minish.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /d??m?n??/
Verb
diminish (third-person singular simple present diminishes, present participle diminishing, simple past and past participle diminished)
- (transitive) To make smaller.
- (intransitive) To become smaller.
- (transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Ezekiel 29:15,[1]
- It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
- 1639, Ralph Robinson (translator), Utopia by Thomas More, London, Book 2, “Of their journying or travelling abroad,” p. 197,[2]
- […] this doth nothing diminish their opinion.
- 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 4, lines 32-35,[3]
- O thou, that, with surpassing glory crowned,
- Lookest from thy sole dominion like the God
- Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars
- Hide their diminished heads; to thee I call,
- 1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, London: André Deutsch, Chapter 3,
- In Seth’s presence Mr Biswas felt diminished. Everything about Seth was overpowering: his calm manner, his smooth grey hair, his ivory holder, his hard swollen forearms […]
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Ezekiel 29:15,[1]
- (intransitive) To taper.
- 1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford, London: J.M. Dent, 1904, Chapter 8, p. 120,[4]
- The chair and table legs diminished as they neared the ground, and were straight and square in all their corners.
- 1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford, London: J.M. Dent, 1904, Chapter 8, p. 120,[4]
- (intransitive) To disappear gradually.
- 1948, Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, Penguin, 1971, Part Two, Chapter 2, 1, p. 77,[5]
- ‘Good evening, good evening,’ Father Rank called. His stride lengthened and he caught a foot in his soutane and stumbled as he went by. ‘A storm’s coming up,’ he said. ‘Got to hurry,’ and his ‘ho, ho, ho’ diminished mournfully along the railway track, bringing no comfort to anyone.
- 1948, Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, Penguin, 1971, Part Two, Chapter 2, 1, p. 77,[5]
- (transitive) To take away; to subtract.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2,[6]
- Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2,[6]
Antonyms
- improve, repair, renovate
Derived terms
- diminishment
- law of diminishing returns
Related terms
- diminution
Translations
Anagrams
- minidish
diminish From the web:
- what diminishes
- what diminish mean
- what diminishes happiness
- what diminishes a fee simple estate
- what diminishes dark spots
- what diminishes scars
- what diminishes/dissipates a thunderstorm
- what diminishes bruises
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