DISCREDIT

disrepute, discredit

(noun) the state of being held in low esteem; “your actions will bring discredit to your name”; “because of the scandal the school has fallen into disrepute”

disbelieve, discredit

(verb) reject as false; refuse to accept

discredit

(verb) cause to be distrusted or disbelieved; “The paper discredited the politician with its nasty commentary”

discredit, disgrace

(verb) damage the reputation of; “This newspaper story discredits the politicians”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

discredit (third-person singular simple present discredits, present participle discrediting, simple past and past participle discredited)

(transitive) To harm the good reputation of a person; to cause an idea or piece of evidence to seem false or unreliable.

Synonyms

• demean, disgrace, dishonour, disprove, invalidate, tell against

Noun

discredit (countable and uncountable, plural discredits)

(countable or uncountable) Discrediting or disbelieving.

(countable) A person or thing that causes harm to a reputation, as of a person, family, or institution.

(uncountable) The state of being discredited or disbelieved.

(uncountable) A degree of dishonour or disesteem; ill repute; reproach.

Synonyms

• (degree of dishonour): demerit

Source: Wiktionary

Dis*cred"it, n. Etym: [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.

Dis*cred"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Discredited; p. pr. & vb. n. Discrediting.] Etym: [Cf. F. discréditer.]

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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition