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. d'etracter. 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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913. | 
