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detract

   Also found in: Legal, Idioms, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
de·tract  (d-trkt)
v. de·tract·ed, de·tract·ing, de·tracts
v.tr.
1. To draw or take away; divert: They could detract little from so solid an argument.
2. Archaic To speak ill of; belittle.
v.intr.
To reduce the value, importance, or quality of something. Often used with from: testimony that only detracts from the strength of the plaintiff's case.

[Middle English detracten, from Latin dtrahere, dtract-, to remove : d-, de- + trahere, to pull. Sense 2, from Latin dtractre, frequentative of dtrahere, to take away.]

de·tractor n.

detract [dɪˈtrækt]
vb
1. (when intr, usually foll by from) to take away a part (of); diminish her anger detracts from her beauty
2. (tr) to distract or divert
3. (tr) Obsolete to belittle or disparage
[from Latin dētractus drawn away, from dētrahere to pull away, disparage, from de- + trahere to drag]
detractingly  adv
detractive , detractory adj
detractively  adv
detractor  n
Usage: Detract is sometimes wrongly used where distract is meant: a noise distracted (not detracted) my attention
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.detract - take away a part from; diminish; "His bad manners detract from his good character"
cut down, reduce, trim back, trim down, cut, cut back, trim, bring down - cut down on; make a reduction in; "reduce your daily fat intake"; "The employer wants to cut back health benefits"
Translations
detract [dɪˈtrækt] VI to detract from [+ value] → quitar mérito or valor a; [+ reputation] → empañar
detract [dɪˈtrækt] vi
to detract from [+ quality, pleasure, achievement] → enlever à; [+ reputation, effect] → nuire à
detract
vi to detract from somethingetw beeinträchtigen, einer Sache (dat)Abbruch tun; from pleasure, merit alsoetw schmälern
detract [dɪˈtrækt] vi to detract from (value) → sminuire; (reputation) → intaccare; (pleasure) → attenuare
detract [dɪˈtrækt] vi to detract from (value) → sminuire; (reputation) → intaccare; (pleasure) → attenuare


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
She was growing a little stout, but it did not seem to detract an iota from the grace of every step, pose, gesture.
But they would have been improved by some share of his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough to detract something from their first admiration, by shewing that, though perfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark.
 
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