Discouragement

2 definitions found

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

  Discouragement \Dis*cour"age*ment\, n. [Cf. OF. descouragement,
     F. d['e]couragement.]
     1. The act of discouraging, or the state of being
        discouraged; depression or weakening of confidence;
        dejection.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. That which discourages; that which deters, or tends to
        deter, from an undertaking, or from the prosecution of
        anything; a determent; as, the revolution was commenced
        under every possible discouragement. "Discouragements from
        vice." --Swift.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  discouragement
       n 1: the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles [syn: {disheartenment},
             {dismay}]
       2: the expression of opposition and disapproval [ant: {encouragement}]
       3: the act of discouraging; "the discouragement of petty theft"