Decry \De*cry"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decried; p. pr. & vb. n.
Decrying.] [F. d['e]crier, OF. descrier; pref. des- (L.
dis-) + crier to cry. See Cry, and cf. Descry.]
To cry down; to censure as faulty, mean, or worthless; to
clamor against; to blame clamorously; to discredit; to
disparage.
[1913 Webster]
For small errors they whole plays decry. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Measures which are extolled by one half of the kingdom
are naturally decried by the other. --Addison.
Syn: To Decry, Depreciate, Detract, Disparage.
Usage: Decry and depreciate refer to the estimation of a
thing, the former seeking to lower its value by
clamorous censure, the latter by representing it as of
little worth. Detract and disparage also refer to
merit or value, which the former assails with
caviling, insinuation, etc., while the latter
willfully underrates and seeks to degrade it. Men
decry their rivals and depreciate their measures. The
envious detract from the merit of a good action, and
disparage the motives of him who performs it.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
decry
v : express strong disapproval of; "We condemn the racism in
South Africa"; "These ideas were reprobated" [syn: condemn,
reprobate, objurgate, excoriate]
[also: decried]
WordNet (r) 2.0
78 Moby Thesaurus words for "decry":
abuse, accuse, anathematize, anathemize, animadvert on, arraign,
asperse, belittle, blame, bring down, bring into discredit,
bring low, call to account, calumniate, cast blame upon,
cast reflection upon, censure, complain against, condemn,
criticize, cry down, cry out against, cry out on, cry shame upon,
damn, debase, defame, degrade, denounce, denunciate, deprecate,
depreciate, derogate, derogate from, detract from, devaluate,
devalue, diminish, disapprove, disapprove of, discount, discredit,
disgrace, disparage, dispraise, downgrade, fulminate against,
hold in contempt, impeach, impugn, indict, inveigh against, knock,
lower, make little of, malign, mark down, minimize, put down,
reflect discredit upon, reflect upon, reprehend, reproach,
reprobate, run down, shake up, slight, speak ill of,
submit to indignity, take away, take from, traduce, underrate,
undervalue, vilify, write, write down, write off
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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