Dis‐cour″age (?; 48), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Discouraged (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Discouraging (?).] [Pref. dis- + courage: cf. OF. descoragier, F. décourager: pref. des- (L. dis-) + corage, F. courage. See Courage.] 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.
Syn. — To dishearten; dispirit; depress; deject; dissuade; disfavor.