| 释义 |
demerit
I. demerit noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English demerite, from Latin demeritum, from neuter of demeritus, past participle of demerēre to deserve, from de- + merēre to deserve — more at merit
obsolete : merit, desert; also : a deserving or praiseworthy act
II. demerit transitive verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
1. obsolete : to be worthy of : deserve, merit
2. obsolete : to obtain by merit : earn
III. de·merit \(ˈ)dē+\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French demerite, from de- dis- + merite merit — more at merit
1. obsolete : an act that incurs blame or censure : offense — usually used in plural
2.
a. : a quality or characteristic that deserves blame : culpability
< they see no merit or demerit in any man or any action — Edmund Burke >
b. : lack or merit
< it was not wholly from demerit, it was in part because of different merit, that he refused our exile — W.B.Yeats >
3. : fault, defect, imperfection
< it has the merit of quickness, but the demerits of inaccuracy, ambiguity, and slackness — F.C.Avis >
< if the work seems to have a conspicuous demerit at first hearing, it is the overindulgence of a passion for display work — Irving Kolodin >
4. : a mark usually entailing a loss of privilege given to an offender by one in authority (as a teacher or an officer)
< demerits for traffic violations >
< a demerit system designed to ensure discipline >
5. Hinduism, Buddhism, & Jainism : the accrual of evil consequences that determine the number and forms of an individual's future earthly reincarnations : bad karma
IV. demerit verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to divest of merit : disparage
2. archaic : to deserve not to have or to lose : fail to merit
3. : to lower (a person) in rank or status
< an employee reprimanded or demerited for continued tardiness >
intransitive verb
obsolete : to deserve or incur guilt or blame |