from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
demerit
n 1: a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually
given in school or armed forces; "ten demerits and he loses
his privileges"
2: the quality of being inadequate or falling short of
perfection; "they discussed the merits and demerits of her
novel"; "he knew his own faults much better than she did"
[syn: {demerit}, {fault}] [ant: {merit}, {virtue}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Demerit \De*mer"it\, n. [F. d['e]m['e]rite demerit (in sense 2),
OF. demerite demerit (in sense 1), fr. L. demerere to deserve
well, LL., to deserve well or ill; de- + merere to deserve.
See {De}-, and {Merit}.]
1. That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill;
desert. [Obs.]
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By many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged
their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation.
--Holland.
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2. That which deserves blame; ill desert; a fault; a vice;
misconduct; -- the opposite of {merit}.
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They see no merit or demerit in any man or any
action. --Burke.
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Secure, unless forfeited by any demerit or offense.
--Sir W.
Temple.
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3. The state of one who deserves ill.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Demerit \De*mer"it\, v. t. [Cf. F. d['e]m['e]riter to deserve
ill. See {Demerit}, n.]
1. To deserve; -- said in reference to both praise and blame.
[Obs.]
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If I have demerited any love or thanks. --Udall.
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Executed as a traitor . . . as he well demerited.
--State Trials
(1645).
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2. To depreciate or cry down. [R.] --Bp. Woolton.
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