Be discouraging or negative about.

synonym: pour cold water on.

Roget 706: hinder, impede, filibuster [U.S.], impedite^†, embarrass.    keep off, stave off, ward off; obviate; avert, antevert^†; turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud; retard, slacken, check, let; counteract, countercheck^†; preclude, debar, foreclose, estop [Law]; inhibit etc. 761; shackle etc. (restrain) 751; restrict.    obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock; block, block up; choke off; belay, barricade; block the way, bar the way, stop the way; forelay^†; dam up etc. (close) 261; put on the brake etc. n.; scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel; put a stop to etc. 142; traverse, contravene; interrupt, intercept; oppose etc. 708; hedge in, hedge round; cut off; inerclude^†.    interpose, interfere, intermeddle etc. 682.    cramp, hamper; clog, clog the wheels; cumber; encumber, incumber; handicap; choke; saddle with, load with; overload, lay; lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience; incommode, discommode; discompose; hustle, corner, drive into a corner.    run foul of, fall foul of; cross the path of, break in upon.    thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil; faze, feaze^†, feeze [U.S.]; baffle, snub, override, circumvent; defeat etc. 731; spike guns etc. (render useless) 645; spoil, mar, clip the wings of; cripple etc. (injure) 659; put an extinguisher on; damp; dishearten etc. (dissuade) 616; discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport; lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on; cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine; be in the way of, stand in the way of; act as a drag; hang like a millstone round one's neck.    ... show more

Roget 616: dissuade, dehort^†, cry out against, remonstrate, expostulate, warn, contraindicate.    disincline, indispose, shake, stagger; dispirit; discourage, dishearten; deter; repress, hold back, keep back etc. (restrain) 751; render averse etc. 603; repel; turn aside etc. (deviation) 279; wean from; act as a drag etc. (hinder) 706; throw cold water on, damp, cool, chill, blunt, calm, quiet, quench; deprecate etc. 766.    disenchant, disillusion, deflate, take down a peg, pop one's balloon, prick one's balloon, burst one's bubble; disabuse (correction) 527.1. ... show more

Roget 174: be moderate etc. adj.; keep within bounds, keep within compass; sober down, settle down; keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail.    moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy^†; attemper^†, contemper^†; mollify, lenify^†, dulcify^†, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund^†, sheathe, subdue, chasten; sober down, tone down, smooth down; weaken etc. 160; lessen etc. (decrease) 36; check palliate.    tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off; slake; curb etc. (restrain) 751; tame etc. (subjugate) 749; smooth over; pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters; pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin [Fr.].    go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove" [Midsummer-Night's Dream]. ... show more

Roget 843: be dull etc. adj.; prose, take au serieux [Fr.], be caught napping.    render dull etc. adj.; damp, depress, throw cold water on, lay a wet blanket on; fall flat upon the ear.    no joke, serious matter (importance) 642.    ... show more