Definition of "discourage"

discourage

/dɪsˈkʌɹɪd͡ʒ/

verb
third-person singular simple present discourages, present participle discouraging, simple past and past participle discouraged
1. (transitive) To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject.
  Quotations
  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Colossians 3:21
2. (transitive) To persuade somebody not to do (something).
  Quotations
  Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.
  1854, Abraham Lincoln., Notes for a Law Lecture
noun
uncountable
1. (rare) Lack of courage