detract

Verb
Synonyms: take away

WordNet 3.0

Verb (1)

  1. take away a part from; diminish“His bad manners detract from his good character”Synonyms: take away
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Detract \De*tract"\, v. i. To take away a part or something, especially from one's credit; to lessen reputation; to derogate; to defame; -- often with from. [1913 Webster]

It has been the fashion to detract both from the moral and literary character of Cicero. --V. Knox. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Detract much from the view of the without.— Sir H. Wotton.[1913 Webster]

2.To take credit or reputation from; to defame. [1913 Webster]

That calumnious critic . . . Detracting what laboriously we do.— Drayton.

Syn: To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse; vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry. [1913 Webster]

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