Demerit

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Demerit \De*mer"it\, n. [F. d['e]m['e]rite demerit (in sense 2),
     OF. demerite demerit (in sense 1), fr. L. demerere to deserve
     well, LL., to deserve well or ill; de- + merere to deserve.
     See {De}-, and {Merit}.]
     1. That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill;
        desert. [Obs.]


        [1913 Webster]
  
              By many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged
              their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation.
                                                    --Holland.
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     2. That which deserves blame; ill desert; a fault; a vice;
        misconduct; -- the opposite of {merit}.
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              They see no merit or demerit in any man or any
              action.                               --Burke.
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              Secure, unless forfeited by any demerit or offense.
                                                    --Sir W.
                                                    Temple.
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     3. The state of one who deserves ill.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Demerit \De*mer"it\, v. t. [Cf. F. d['e]m['e]riter to deserve
     ill. See {Demerit}, n.]
     1. To deserve; -- said in reference to both praise and blame.
        [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If I have demerited any love or thanks. --Udall.
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              Executed as a traitor . . . as he well demerited.
                                                    --State Trials
                                                    (1645).
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     2. To depreciate or cry down. [R.] --Bp. Woolton.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Demerit \De*mer"it\, v. i.
     To deserve praise or blame.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  demerit
       n 1: a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually
            given in school or armed forces; "ten demerits and he
            loses his privileges"
       2: the quality of being inadequate or falling short of
          perfection; "they discussed the merits and demerits of her
          novel"; "he knew his own faults much better than she did"
          [syn: {fault}] [ant: {merit}]