Search the Dictionary

A detractor.

Tending to derogate, or lessen in value; expressing derogation; detracting; injurious; -- with from to, or unto. Acts of Parliament derogatory from the power of subsequent Parliaments bind not. Blackstone. His language was severely censured by some of his brother peers as derogatory to their other. Macaulay. Derogatory…

ing opinion or insinuation; diminution of value; dishonor; indignity; reproach; disgrace; detraction; -- commonly with to. It ought to be no disparagement to a star that it is not the sun. South. Imitation is a disparagement and a degradation in a Christian minister. I. Taylor.

The act of dispraising; detraction; blame censure; reproach; disparagement. Dryden. In praise and in dispraise the same. Tennyson.

To lessen; to detract from; to disparage. [A Latin meaning] [Obs.] Jer. Taylor. To elevate a piece (Gun.), to raise the muzzle; to lower the breech.

To lower or degrade; to detract from. [Obs.] Who can extenuate thee Milton.

a left-handed compliment. The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and detractive. Landor.

day, The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray. Pope His discourse tends obliquely to the detracting from others. Addison.

ion. Shall names that made yuor city the glory of the earth be mentioned with obloquy and detraction Addison.

Slander; detraction; calumny. [Obs.] Barrow.

or of making an ambitious display; unnecessary show; pretentious parade; -- usually in a detractive sense. "Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm." Milton. He knew that good and bountiful minds were sometimes inclined to ostentation. Atterbury.

dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it [Gettysburg] far above our power to add or detract. Lincoln.

A detractor; a slanderer. [Obs.] Shak.

Resemblance to Zoilus in style or manner; carping criticism; detraction. Bring candid eyes the perusal of men's works, and let not Zoilism or detraction blast well-intended labors. Sir T. Browne.