discommendv.
/ˌdɪskəˈmɛnd/, U.S. /ˌdɪskəˈmɛnd/ 1. † b. intransitive. To find fault, express disapproval. Obsolete.
a. transitive. To find fault with, express disapproval of. Cf. commend v. 3. Now somewhat rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > dispraise or discommendation > dispraise or discommend [verb (transitive)]
mispraisec1330
dispraisec1386
disallowa1393
unpraisea1400
discommendc1454
c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 8 (MED) Þese men comenden and preisen me wheryn it semyþ to hem þat þei discomenden and dispreisen me.
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. cxxixv I shall..Lawde iust and good, and the yll discommende.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. clvi. f. lxxxiiiiv In hym was no thynge to be dyscommendyd, but that he helde his Doughter so longe vnmaryed.
1557 T. North tr. A. de Guevara Diall Princes f. 90/2 I do discommend, that the women should goe gadding a broade in visitacion.
a1639 W. Whately Prototypes (1640) i. iv. 31 The Lord bids men goe and learne of the Pismire, and discommends idlenesse.
1676 T. Shadwell Virtuoso iv. 65 I cannot abide the sight of her, since she discommended thee, my Dear.
1702 Let. New Member Ensuing Parl. 3 If they preserved their Country from being made a Forelorn-Hope, surely their Caution is not to be discommended.
1777 J. Peddle Abuses hearing Word of God 25 At other times, ye discommend a truly rational and orthodox discourse..because conveyed in simple terms.
1826 Christian Spectator July 357/1 If we were disposed to remark upon the style of this discourse, though we should approve of it in general, we should find also something to discommend.
1860 C. Patmore Faithful for Ever i. 49 Who else shall discommend her choice?
1996 E. C. Kaylor M. C. Brumbaugh 114 Brumbaugh..meant to discommend the intolerance and societal homogeneity that had characterized Puritan England.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (transitive)]
reprehendc1400
murmur1424
discommenda1500
belack1531
to find fault (with, at)c1540
scan?c1550
fault1563
pinch1567
to lift or move a lip1579
raign1581
reflect1605
criminate1645
criticize1652
nick1668
critic1697
chop1712
stricture1851
to get on to ——1895
chip1898
rap1899
nitpick1956
a1500 Bernardus de Cura (1870) 51 Gef ane loffys, ane othir discomendys.
1603 S. Harsnett Declar. Popish Impostures viii. 38 The highest point to be learned in this schoole..to mop, mow, iest, raile, raue, roare, commend, & discommend.
a1652 R. Brome Novella iii. i. sig. K4v, in Five New Playes (1653) It is the chapmans rule to discommend.
1737 T. Stackhouse New Hist. Bible (1767) IV. vii. iv. 519 The author neither commends nor discommends.
2. transitive. To mention or present (a thing, course of action) as undesirable or inadvisable; to speak of dissuasively. Sometimes contrasted with recommend v.1 4.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > motivation > demotivation > demotivate [verb (transitive)] > dissuade > speak dissuasively of
discommend1533
dissuadea1535
disadmonish1611
counter-argue1661
to throw cold water on1808
unsell1943
1533 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe ii. vii. 23 The juyce of oranges eaten with Sugar in a hotte fever is not to be dyscommended.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. ii. ii. i. 88 Savanarola discommends Goats flesh.
1694 M. Astell Serious Proposal to Ladies 8 No solicitude in the adornation of your selves is discommended.
1737 H. Bracken Farriery Improved xvii. 241 De Grey..discommends such Practice, for as much as that the Horse becomes blear-ey'd afterwards.
1879 G. A. Macfarren Counterpoint (ed. 2) iii. 7 Their use..is discommended to students.
1921 N. Douglas Alone 18 I am not prone to recommend restaurants, or to discommend them.
1998 InfoWorld (Nexis) 19 Oct. 72 The Centric Group center..will not recommend or discommend specific products.
3. transitive. To invite disapproval of; to cause to be unfavourably viewed or received. Now somewhat rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > unpopularity > to make unpopular [verb (transitive)]
discommend1578
disrecommend1691
unpopularize1792
1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 51v The manners of the childe at the first are to be looked vnto that nothing discommend the minde.
a1659 Z. Bogan in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1870) I. Ps. xxiii. 1 Only private defects discommend a thing.
a1730 N. Marshall Serm. (1731) III. viii. 197 Some little Observances, which have neither his Authority to enforce the Use or the Forbearance of them, nor any intrinsic Reason of their own to commend or discommend them.
1882 Fraser's Mag. May 590 I am bound to explain to the Princess that in giving me her favours, she runs no risk of discommending herself with others.
1903 Cincinnati Lancet-Clinic 7 Feb. 156/2 A measure which..has absolutely nothing to commend it, and has much besides its manifest cruelty to discommend it.
1950 Illustr. London News 11 Mar. 364/1 The result of the..General Election may have been highly advantageous to the Conservative Party.., but from the point of view of the country it has much to discommend it.
1958 J. Vaizey Costs Educ. iii. 66 The existing grant system..has little to recommend or discommend it.
Derivatives
discoˈmmended adj. rare that is or has been discommended.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > dispraise or discommendation > [adjective] > dispraised
misloseda1475
dispraised1552
discommended1586
1586 A. Day Eng. Secretorie i. sig. P4v To the intent hee may..be instructed, in the vilenesse and discommended partes of the same.
1882 Fraser's Mag. Mar. 367 An orphan, the child of a discommended marriage.
2006 Kenyon Rev. 28 173 The discommended mode is based on inwardness, on hoarding, and on love.
discoˈmmending n. and adj. now rare (a) n.= discommendation n. (b) adj. that invites or expresses disapproval.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > dispraise or discommendation > [noun]
dispraisingc1386
mislovinga1400
dispraise1509
discommendation1540
discommending1544
dyslogy1837
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > dispraise or discommendation > [adjective]
discommending1702
dyslogistic1821
1544 J. Bale Brefe Chron. Syr J. Oldcastell in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 249 Wyth no small discommendings of some princes.
1692 J. Dryden All for Love (new ed.) Pref. sig. b2 No part of a Poem is worth our discommending, where the whole is insipid.
1702 S. Parker tr. Cicero Five Bks. De Finibus 192 Having something in them Discommending and Unacceptable.
1887 M. B. Betham-Edwards Next of Kin Wanted I. vi. 82 He..leaned back, looking at her with a discommending, almost supercilious smile.
1933 E. Blunden C. Lamb & his Contemporaries iv. 97 His chief business was to commend; he had done his discommending by way of rejecting silently.
2009 Irish Times (Nexis) 18 Apr. (Features section) 2 The music in the text doesn't warrant discommending notice.
discoˈmmender n. now rare a person who discommends someone or something.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > dispraise or discommendation > [noun] > dispraiser
dispraiser1532
discommender1611
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Vitupereur, a dispraiser, discommender.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Discommender, one that discommends; a dispraiser.
1883 M. B. Betham-Edwards Disarmed II. viii. 106 She looked at him, no longer, as she deemed, her adoring lover and closest friend in the wide world; rather her judge and discommender.
1976 Change 8 9/1 Who controls the files' activity? Not the discommenders; they may sign forms, but they don't copyright them.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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