discourage
Meaning
to make someone feel less confident, enthusiastic, or hopeful about something
to try to persuade someone not to do something
Structure
Usage
the coach's harsh criticism did not discourage her from pursuing her athletic dreams.
high prices are meant to discourage excessive energy consumption.
we tried to discourage him from making such a risky investment.
Etymology
the word discourage entered english in the late 15th century from middle french 'descourager'. it is built from the latin-derived prefix 'dis-', which here imparts a sense of removal or reversal, and the noun 'courage', which originates from latin 'cor' (heart). the concept of courage was historically linked to the heart as the seat of emotions and spirit. thus, to discourage literally means "to deprive of heart or spirit," a logic that clearly maps to its modern meanings of undermining someone's confidence or dissuading them from an action.
Analysis
dis- is a Latin prefix meaning "apart, away, having a negative or reversing force." courage is from Old French 'corage', meaning "heart, innermost feelings, temper," derived from Latin 'cor' (heart).