Wordnet 3.0
VERB (2)
1.
look with disfavor on;
- Example: "The republic soon discountenanced its few friends"2.
show disapproval by discouraging;
- Example: "any measure tending to fuse invalids into a class with special privileges should be discountenanced"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Discountenance \Dis*coun"te*nance\, n.
Unfavorable aspect; unfriendly regard; cold treatment;
disapprobation; whatever tends to check or discourage.
[1913 Webster]
He thought a little discountenance on those persons
would suppress that spirit. --Clarendon.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Discountenance \Dis*coun"te*nance\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Discountenanced; p. pr. & vb. n. Discountenancing.]
[Pref. dis- + countenance: cf. OF. descontenancer, F.
d['e]contenancer.]
1. To ruffle or discompose the countenance of; to put of
countenance; to put to shame; to abash.
[1913 Webster]
How would one look from his majestic brow . . .
Discountenance her despised! --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
The hermit was somewhat discountenanced by this
observation. --Sir W.
Scott.
[1913 Webster]
2. To refuse to countenance, or give the support of one's
approval to; to give one's influence against; to restrain
by cold treatment; to discourage.
[1913 Webster]
A town meeting was convened to discountenance riot.
--Bancroft.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
discountenance
v 1: look with disfavor on; "The republic soon discountenanced
its few friends"
2: show disapproval by discouraging; "any measure tending to
fuse invalids into a class with special privileges should be
discountenanced"