demerit1+ (demerit)

[Cf. OF. demerite, de mirite, desert, merit (in neut. sense); from the verb: see demerit1, v.] That which one merits; desert. By many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation. Holland, tr. of Plutarch, p. 1101. We have heard so much of your demerits , That 'twere injustice not to cherish you. Shirley, Humorous Courtier. demerit2+ (dē-mer'it), v. t. [ démériter = It. demerit are , deserve ill, do ami ; from the noun or as freq. of the earlier verb, OF. deme rir , demerere , deserve ill, do ami , merere , merer i , deserve: see merit . Cf. demerit1, v.] To lower the merit of; dis credit; depreciate. Faith by her own dignity and worthine doth not de merit justice and righteousne . Bp. Woolton , Christian Manual, sig. c. iv. demerit2 (de-mer'it), n. [ démérite = Sp. Pg. demerito = It. demerito, de merto , demeritum , fault, demerit, prop. neut. of demerit us , pp. of demerere , deserve ill, do ami : see demerit2 , v. Cf. demerit1, n.] That which merits ill; censurable conduct; wrong-doing; ill desert: opposed to merit . Mine is the merit, the demerit thine. Dryden, Fables. He [William I.] took no Man's living from him, nor dispo e 'd any of their Goods, but such only whose Demerit made them unworthy to hold them. Baker , Chronicles, p. 23. Demerit mark, in schools, a mark for bad conduct or deficiency. = Syn. Ill desert, delinquency. demera demerlaikt, n. [ME. demerlayk , earlier dweo merlak , dwimor , in comp. gedwimor , ge dwimer, gedwomer, an illusion, a phantom, + lāc , play.] Magic; witchcraft; sorcery. That con dele wyth demerlayk , & deuine lettres. Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 1561.