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discursive
no longer continue (especially something that has existed or happened regularly or for a long time): The bus service has been discontinued. I discontinued software | The shop is having a sale of discontinued lines. (=products that are no longer being produced) —uance n [U]
dis·con·ti·nu·ity /ˌdɪskntɪˈnjuəti||-kɑːntɪˈnuː-/ n 1 [U] the quality of not being continuous 2 [C(between)] fml a breaking or space; GAP
dis·con·tin·u·ous /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuəs/ adj not continuous in space or time: This is a discontinuous line ----. —ly adv
dis·cord /ˈdɪskɔːd||-ɔːrd/ n 1 [U] fml disagreement between people: marital discord 2 [C;U] (a) lack of agreement heard when musical notes are played which do not sound pleasant together → compare CONCORD, HARMONY
dis·cord·ant /dɪsˈkɔːdənt||-ɔːr-/ adj in a state of discord: discordant opinions/sounds —ly adv
dis·co·theque /ˈdɪskətek, ˌdɪskəˈtek/ n a DISCO
dis·count¹ /ˈdɪskant/ n 1 a reduction made in the cost of buying goods: The staff at the shop get a discount of ten per cent. | We can give you a small discount. | a discount retailer/rate → compare REBATE 2 at a discount a) below the usual price b) fml not valuable or wanted: Honesty seems to be rather at a discount today.
dis·count² /dɪsˈkaʊnt||ˈdɪskaʊnt/ v [T] to regard (a story, piece of news, suggestion etc) as unimportant or unlikely to be true or valuable: Experts have discounted the possibility of a second earthquake in the area.
dis·coun·te·nance /dɪsˈkaʊntənəns/ v [T] fml to show your disapproval of something or someone's behaviour
dis·count·er /ˈdɪskaʊntər/ n a shop or person that sells goods cheaply
¹discount rate n AmE the rate of interest which the Federal Reserve Bank charges American banks that borrow from it → compare BASE RATE, PRIME RATE
¹discount store also ¹discount house n a shop where goods are sold below the price suggested by the makers
dis·cour·age /dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒ||-ˈkɜːr-/ v [T] 1 to take away courage, confidence, or hope from: If you fail your driving test the first time, don't let it discourage you/don't be discouraged. | a very discouraging result 2 to prevent or try to prevent (an action), either by showing disapproval or by putting difficulties in the way: We discourage smoking in this school. | The political instability of the region has discouraged investment by big companies. 3 [(from)] to make (someone) unwilling to do something, especially because of the threat of something unpleasant; DETER: The bad weather discouraged people from attending the parade. → opposite ENCOURAGE —agingly adv
dis·cour·age·ment /dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒmənt||-ˈkɜːr-/ n 1 [U] the action of discouraging or fact of being discouraged 2 [C] something that discourages
dis·course¹ /ˈdɪskɔːs||-ɔːrs/ n fml 1 [C(on, upon)] a serious speech or piece of writing about a particular subject: The priest delivered a long discourse on/upon the evils of adultery. 2 [U] serious conversation: They passed the hours in learned discourse. 3 [U] connected language in speech or writing: to analyse the structure of scientific discourse
dis·course² /dɪsˈkɔːs||-ɔːrs/ v
discourse upon/on sthg. phr v [T] fml to make a long formal speech about: She discoursed at length upon/on the relationship between crime and environment.
dis·cour·te·ous /dɪsˈkɜːtiəs||-ɜːr-/ adj fml (of people or their behaviour) not polite; showing bad manners; rude: It was discourteous of you not to thank him. —ly adv —ness n [U]
dis·cour·te·sy /dɪsˈkɜːtəsi||-ɜːr-/ n [C;U] fml (an act of) discourteousness: You showed great discourtesy by not asking him to sit down.
dis·cov·er /dɪsˈkʌvər/ v [T] 1 to find (something that already existed but was not known about before): Columbus discovered America in 1492. | Scientists have discovered a new virus. → see INVENT (USAGE) 2 to find out (a fact, the answer to a question or problem etc): We soon discovered the truth. | Police have discovered a bomb factory at a country house. | [+wh-] Did you ever discover who sent you the flowers? | We never discovered how to open the box. | [+that] Scientists have now discovered that this disease is carried by rats. —er n
dis·cov·ery /dɪsˈkʌvəri/ n 1 [U] the event of discovering: The country became very rich following the discovery of oil. 2 [C] a fact or thing that has been discovered: The archaeologists have made a number of important discoveries.
Discovery, the the ship in which Captain SCOTT went to the ANTARCTIC in 1901–04
dis·cred·it¹ /dɪsˈkredɪt/ v [T] 1 to cause people to lack faith in; stop people believing in or having respect for: The idea that the sun goes round the Earth has long been discredited. | Much of his work has been discredited because we now know that he used false information. | a deliberate attempt to discredit the government 2 to refuse to believe in: One should discredit a good deal of what is printed in newspapers. → see also CREDIT
discredit² n 1 [U] loss of belief, trust, or the good opinion of others: Their behaviour has brought discredit on English football. | I know several things to her discredit. (=bad things about her) 2 [S+to] someone or something that brings shame or loss of respect; a DISGRACE: That boy is a discredit to his family.
dis·cred·it·able /dɪsˈkredɪtəbəl/ adj (of behaviour) causing discredit; SHAMEFUL —bly adv
di·screet /dɪˈskriːt/ adj (of people or their behaviour) careful and sensible, especially in what one chooses not to say; careful to avoid causing difficulty or discomfort, especially in social situations: a discreet silence | It wasn't very discreet of you to ring me up at the office. → opposite INDISCREET; compare DISCRETE —ly adv
di·screp·an·cy /dɪˈskrepənsi/ n [C;U(between, in)] difference; lack of agreement or similarity: There is some discrepancy between their two descriptions. | How do you explain these discrepancies in the accounts?
di·screte /dɪˈskriːt/ adj especially tech or fml separate; DISTINCT: The picture consisted of a lot of discrete spots of colour. → compare DISCREET —ly adv —ness n [U]
di·scre·tion /dɪˈskreʃən/ n [U] 1 the quality of being discreet: You can trust her to keep your secret—she's the soul of discretion. (=very discreet) 2 the right or ability to decide what is most suitable to be done: I won't tell you what time to leave—you're old enough to use your own discretion. | The hours of the meetings will be fixed at the chairperson's discretion. (=according to the chairperson's decision) 3 Discretion is the better part of valour It is better to be careful than to take risks
di·scre·tion·a·ry /dɪˈskreʃənəri||-neri/ adj fml not governed by fixed rules but left to someone's decision: discretionary powers | a discretionary grant of money
discretionary income n [U] tech the money remaining from your income after your bills have been paid, which can be spent on entertainment, holidays etc; DISPOSABLE INCOME
dis·crim·i·nate /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/ v 1 [I[(between);T(from)]] to see or make a difference between things or people; DISTINGUISH: Death does not discriminate. It comes to everyone. | You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions/to discriminate facts from opinions. 2 [I[against, in favour of]] usually derog to unfairly treat one person or group worse or better than others: This new law discriminates against lower-paid workers.
dis·crim·i·nat·ing /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋ/ adj apprec showing an ability to see a difference, especially in value, between two things, people etc; showing good judgment, especially in matters of taste: discriminating filmgoers
dis·crim·i·na·tion /dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən/ n [U] 1 [(against, in favour of)] often derog the act or system of treating different groups or people in different ways, especially unfairly. In Britain and the US, there are laws against discrimination according to race, religion, or sex: discrimination against women | racial discrimination 2 apprec the quality of being discriminating: a man of discrimination → see also POSITIVE DISCRIMINATION, REVERSE DISCRIMINATION
dis·crim·i·na·to·ry /dɪˈskrɪmɪnətəri||-tɔːri/ adj often derog showing or based on discrimination: discriminatory immigration laws
di·scur·sive /dɪˈskɜːsɪv||-ɜːr-/ adj (of a person, words, or writing) passing from one subject or idea to another in an informal way, without any clear plan: to write in a discursive style —ly adv —ness n [U]