1. (v. t.) To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject; -- the opposite of encourage; as, he was discouraged in his undertaking; he need not be discouraged from a like attempt.

2. (v. t.) To dishearten one with respect to; to discountenance; to seek to check by disfavoring; to deter one from; as, they discouraged his efforts.

3. (n.) Lack of courage; cowardliness.

afflict anticipate avert awe bar beat down blunt bother cast down check chill cool cow damp dampen dampen the spirits darken dash daunt debar deflect deject demoralize depress deter disaffect disapprove of dishearten disincline disinterest dismay disparage dispirit dissuade distract distress divert droop estop exclude faze fend fend off forbid foreclose forestall frighten help hinder indispose inhibit intimidate irk keep from keep off knock down lower lower the spirits obviate oppose oppress overawe preclude press down prevent prohibit put off quench repel restrain rule out sadden save scare shake sink slow stave off stop suppress talk out of trouble try turn aside turn away turn from turn off unman unnerve vex ward off wean from weigh weigh heavy upon weigh upon