discountenance

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   formal or dated: to disapprove of something and discourage, withhold support from, or refuse to tolerate it

   The committee discountenanced any proposal that would reward deliberate misconduct.

2. 2
   verb

   archaic: to unsettle, embarrass, or make someone lose composure

   The hostile laughter briefly discountenanced the young speaker.

Borrowed from Middle French descontenancer (modern French decontenancer), literally to put someone out of countenance. From the sense "make lose composure," English developed the broader meaning "show disapproval of or discourage."

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