# discourage

Pronunciation: say "dis-KUR-ij" US /dɪsˈkɝɪd͡ʒ/, UK /dɪsˈkʌɹɪd͡ʒ/

## Verb

1. To persuade someone against doing something.
   - Simple: To try to talk someone out of doing something.
   - _The coach discouraged his players from arguing with referees._
   - _Heavy fines discourage drivers from speeding through school zones._
2. To take away someone's courage or confidence; to dishearten.
   - Simple: To make someone lose hope or confidence.
   - _Setbacks like these can discourage even experienced climbers._
   - _The defeat discouraged her so deeply that she nearly gave up._

## Noun

3. A lack of courage or bravery. *(rare)*
   - Simple: A lack of bravery, when someone has no courage at all.
   - _A wave of discourage swept the soldiers as the walls began to fall._
   - _Despite his discourage, he forced himself to step onto the bridge._

## Origin

From Middle French descourager (modern French décourager), from Old French descouragier, formed from des- and corage. By surface analysis, it is dis- plus courage.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/discourage (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).