| 释义 |
depreciate, v.|dɪˈpriːʃɪeɪt|
Also depretiate.
[f. L. dēpretiāt- (-ciāt-), ppl. stem of dēpretiāre (in med.L. commonly spelt dēpreciāre), f. de- I. 1 + pretium price. Cf. mod.F. déprécier (Dict. Acad. 1762).]
1. trans. To lower in value, lessen the value of.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. x. 205 A method..which much depreciates the esteeme and value of miracles. 1664Power Exp. Philos. i. 53 As these dioptrical Glasses, do heighten and illustrate the Works of Nature, so do they..disparage and depretiate those of Art. 1739Cibber Apol. v. 102 Booth thought it depreciated the Dignity of Tragedy to raise a Smile. 1862Fraser's Mag. Nov. 631 Our architectural reputation, never high, is still more depreciated by the building at South Kensington.
b. spec. To lower the price or market value of; to reduce the purchasing power of (money).
1656Blount Glossogr., Depretiate, to make the price less, to make cheaper. 1719W. Wood Surv. Trade 358 That we shall..Depretiate our Silver Standard. 1782Paine Let. Abbé Raynal (1791) 25 Every man depreciated his own money by his own consent. 1848Mill Pol. Econ. iii. xiii, It is true that suspension of the obligation to pay in specie, did put it in the power of the Bank to depreciate the currency. 1893Bithell Counting-House Dict. s.v. Depreciation, Bank Notes or State Notes are depreciated in value when issued against a small reserve of bullion.
2. To lower in estimation; to represent as of less value; to underrate, undervalue, belittle.
1666Boyle Orig. Formes & Qual. To Rdr., Where..I do indefinitely depretiate Aristotle's Doctrine, I would be understood to speak of his Physicks. 1704Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 262 Alexander..began to extoll his own Actions, and to depritiate those of his Father Philip. 1769Junius Lett. ii. 13 His bounty..this writer would in vain depreciate. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. ix, I don't like to hear you depreciate yourself. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 11 Pleasure [by Plato] is depreciated as relative, while good is exalted as absolute.
absol.1751Johnson Rambler No. 93 ⁋13 The duty of criticism is neither to depreciate nor dignify by partial representations. 1804Man in Moon No. 24. 189 He depreciates from the merits of the very man he had praised before. 1882A. W. Ward Dickens iii. 54 At the bottom lay a desire to depreciate.
3. intr. To fall in value, to become of less worth.
a1790Franklin Autobiog. (1889) 118 The wealthy inhabitants oppos'd..all paper currency, from an apprehension that it would depreciate. 1796Morse Amer. Geog. I. 439 This breed of horses has much depreciated of late. 1858De Quincey Wks. (1862) V. 62 Actually to have depreciated as he grew older and better known to the world. 1884Manch. Exam. 8 May 5/3 Conditions which caused property to depreciate. |