de·tract
Audio Help [di-trakt] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [di-trakt] Pronunciation Key –verb (used without object)
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | to take away a part, as from quality, value, or reputation (usually fol. by from). |
| 2. | to draw away or divert; distract: to detract another's attention from more important issues. |
| 3. | Archaic. to take away (a part); abate: The dilapidated barn detracts charm from the landscape. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
detract
To learn more about detract visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| de·tract
Audio Help (dĭ-trākt') Pronunciation Key
v. de·tract·ed, de·tract·ing, de·tracts v. tr.
v. intr. To reduce the value, importance, or quality of something. Often used with from: testimony that only detracts from the strength of the plaintiff's case. [Middle English detracten, from Latin dētrahere, dētract-, to remove : dē-, de- + trahere, to pull. Sense 2, from Latin dētractāre, frequentative of dētrahere, to take away.] de·trac'tor n. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
| detract | |
verb | |
| take away a part from; diminish; "His bad manners detract from his good character" [syn: take away] |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
Detract
De*cry"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decried; p. pr. & vb. n. Decrying.] [F. d['e]crier, OF. descrier; pref. des- (L. dis-) + crier to cry. See Cry, and cf. Descry.] To cry down; to censure as faulty, mean, or worthless; to clamor against; to blame clamorously; to discredit; to disparage. For small errors they whole plays decry. --Dryden. Measures which are extolled by one half of the kingdom are naturally decried by the other. --Addison. Syn: To Decry, Depreciate, Detract, Disparage. Usage: Decry and depreciate refer to the estimation of a thing, the former seeking to lower its value by clamorous censure, the latter by representing it as of little worth. Detract and disparage also refer to merit or value, which the former assails with caviling, insinuation, etc., while the latter willfully underrates and seeks to degrade it. Men decry their rivals and depreciate their measures. The envious detract from the merit of a good action, and disparage the motives of him who performs it.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Detract
De*tract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Detracting.] [L. detractus, p. p. of detrahere to detract; de + trahere to draw: cf. F. d['e]tracter. See Trace.]1. To take away; to withdraw. Detract much from the view of the without. --Sir H. Wotton. 2. To take credit or reputation from; to defame. That calumnious critic . . . Detracting what laboriously we do. --Drayton. Syn: To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse; vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web
Perform a new search, or try your search for "detract" at:
- Amazon.com - Shop for books, music and more
- Reference.com - Encyclopedia Search
- Reference.com - Web Search powered by Ask.com
- Thesaurus.com - Search for synonyms and antonyms














