Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
discount
This word operates on a logic of subtraction, whether dealing with currency or credibility. In a commercial sense, it triggers a feeling of opportunity or urgency, signaling a temporary window where value is decoupled from the standard cost. It is the primary language of retail sales and negotiations. When applied to ideas or evidence, the word shifts toward skepticism. To discount a claim is to mentally push it aside, treating it as irrelevant or false. This usage is common in professional, legal, or analytical contexts where one must decide which data points are trustworthy and which should be ignored.
Countable when referring to a specific price reduction (a 20% discount). Uncountable when referring to the general concept of price reduction (discounts are common in January).
Meanings
To reduce the price of a product.
"The store decided to discount all winter coats."
To regard a possibility or piece of information as being unworthy of consideration.
"The police discounted the witness's testimony as unreliable."