v. i. To take away a part or something, especially from one's credit; to lessen reputation; to derogate; to defame; -- often with from. [ 1913 Webster ]

It has been the fashion to detract both from the moral and literary character of Cicero. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. détracter. See Trace. ] 1. To take away; to withdraw. [ 1913 Webster ]

Detract much from the view of the without. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take credit or reputation from; to defame. [ 1913 Webster ]

That calumnious critic . . .
Detracting what laboriously we do. Drayton.

Syn. -- To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse; vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who detracts; a detractor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Other detracters and malicious writers. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a detracting manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. détraction, L. detractio. ] 1. A taking away or withdrawing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The detraction of the eggs of the said wild fowl. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of taking away from the reputation or good name of another; a lessening or cheapening in the estimation of others; the act of depreciating another, from envy or malice; calumny.

Syn. -- Depreciation; disparagement; derogation; slander; calumny; aspersion; censure. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Containing detraction; detractory. [ R. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Tending to detractor draw. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tending to lower in estimation; depreciative. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being detractive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. détracteur. ] One who detracts; a derogator; a defamer. [ 1913 Webster ]

His detractors were noisy and scurrilous. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Slanderer; calumniator; defamer; vilifier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Defamatory by denial of desert; derogatory; calumnious. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]