De*tract" (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Detracted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Detracting.] [L. detractus, p. p. of detrahere
to detract; de + trahere to draw: cf. F.
détracter. See Trace.] 1.
To take away; to withdraw.
Detract much from the view of the
without.
Sir H. Wotton.
2. To take credit or reputation from; to
defame.
That calumnious critic . . .
Detracting what laboriously we do.
Drayton.
Syn. -- To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse;
vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry.
De*tract", v. i. To take away a
part or something, especially from one's credit; to lessen
reputation; to derogate; to defame; -- often with
from.
It has been the fashion to detract both from
the moral and literary character of Cicero.
V.
Knox.
