demerit

plural demerits

1. countableuncountableA quality of being inadequate; a disadvantage, a fault.

   They see no merit or demerit in any man or any action.

   1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC

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   [W]hatever they acquire by their Induſtry or Ingenuity […] ſhould be as much their Property, as any diviſions of Land or of Stock that are made to the Sons; and the Poſſeſſion as ſecure, unleſs forfeited by any demerit or offence againſt the cuſtoms of the Family, which grow with time to be the Orders of this little State.

   1679, William Temple, “An Essay upon the Original and Nature of Government. […]”, in Miscellanea. […], London: […] A. M. and R. R. for Edw[ard] Gellibrand, […], →OCLC, page 70

2. countableuncountableA mark given for bad conduct to a person attending an educational institution or serving in the army.

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   A few of you have followed in the path of the perfect West Point graduate, Robert E. Lee, who never received a single demerit in four years. Some of you followed in the path of the imperfect graduate, Ulysses S. Grant, who had his fair share of demerits, and said the happiest day of his life was "the day I left West Point." (Laughter.)

   2002, George W. Bush, Commencement Address at West Point

3. countableuncountableThat which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.

   I fall to riſe, mount to thy maker, ſpirit, /. Leaue here thy body, death ha's her demerit.

   c. 1610 (first performance), attributed to John Marston, and/or William Barkstead and Lewis Machin, The Insatiate Countesse. A Tragedie: […], London: […] T[homas] S[nodham] for Thomas Archer, […], published 1613, →OCLC, Act V, signature I2, recto

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   But when firſt Cleobulus the tyrant of the Lindians, and then Periander the tyrant likewiſe of Corinth (who had neither of them any one jot of vertue or wiſdome) by the greatneſſe of their power, by the number of their friends, and by many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged their adherents, acquired forcibly this reputation, in deſpite of all uſurped the name of Sages; and to this purpoſe cauſed to be ſpred ſowen and divulged throughout all Greece certaine odde ſentences and notable ſayings, as well as thoſe of others, wherewith the former Sages, above named were diſcontented.

   1603, Plutarch, “What Signifieth this Word Ei, Engraven over the Dore of Apolloes Temple in the City of Delphi”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, page 1354

present singular third person demerits · participle present demeriting · participle past demerited · past demerited

1. archaictransitiveTo deserve.

   You hold that every sin is an infinite evil, demeriting endless punishment.

   1840, Alexander Campbell, Dolphus Skinner, A discussion of the doctrines of the endless misery and universal salvation, page 351

2. archaictransitiveTo depreciate or cry down.

   Faith by her own dignity and worthiness doth not demerit justice and righteousness; but receiveth and embraceth the same offered unto us in the gospel […]

   1576, John Woolton, The Christian Manuell