decry
English
Etymology
C. 1600, from Middle French decrier (“to denigrate; depreciate”), from Old French descrier (“to shout”) (modern décrier). Doublet of descry. The pejorative meaning had not been present in the Middle English loan, but it was present in the French word from at least the 13th century, with a meaning of "to denigrate; depreciate; to announce the depreciation or suppression of a currency", presumably from the interpretation of de- as meaning "down, inferior".
Pronunciation
Verb
decry (third-person singular simple present decries, present participle decrying, simple past and past participle decried)
- (transitive) To denounce as harmful.
- 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 99:
- All of us seem to need some totalistic relationships in our lives. But to decry the fact that we cannot have only such relationships is nonsense.
- 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 474:
- While decrying bureaucracy and demanding participatory democracy they, themselves, frequently attempt to manipulate the very group of workers, blacks or students on whose behalf they demand participation.
- 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 99:
- (transitive) To blame for ills.
Translations
to denounce as harmful
|
to blame for ills
References
- Chambers's Etymological Dictionary, 1896, p. 114
- “decry”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “decry”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “decry”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Middle French
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Old French
- English doublets
- English 2-syllable words
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- Rhymes:English/aɪ
- Rhymes:English/aɪ/2 syllables
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