SuaviloquyToday’s word

discredit

Discredit, n.

Etymology: [Cf. F. discrédit.]

1. The act of discrediting or disbelieving, or the state of being discredited or disbelieved; as, later accounts have brought the story into discredit.

2. Hence, some degree of dishonor or disesteem; ill repute; reproach; -- applied to persons or things. It is the duty of every Christian to be concerned for the reputation or discredit his life may bring on his profession. Rogers.

Syn. -- Disesteem; disrepute; dishonor; disgrace; ignominy; scandal; disbelief; distrust.

1 other Webster entry under this spelling

Discredit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Discredited; p. pr. & vb. n. Discrediting.]

1. To refuse credence to; not to accept as true; to disbelieve; as, the report is discredited.

2. To deprive of credibility; to destroy confidence or trust in; to cause disbelief in the accuracy or authority of. An occasion might be given to the . . . papists of discrediting our common English Bible. Strype.

2. To deprive of credit or good repute; to bring reproach upon; to make less reputable; to disgrace. He. . . least discredits his travels who returns the same man he went. Sir H. Wotton.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for discredit; he lists it under abase, disparage.

Where he writes about it:

To discredit one is to injure his reputation, as for veracity or solvency. — from abase