discourage

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
discourage/dɪsˈkʌrɪʤ/

▶verb

• 1 cause (someone) to lose confidence or enthusiasm.

• 2 prevent or try to prevent by showing disapproval or creating difficulties.

  ■ (discourage someone from) persuade someone against (an action).

– derivatives
discouragement noun,
discouraging adjective,
discouragingly adverb.

– origin ME: from OFr. descouragier, from des- (expressing reversal) + corage ‘courage’.