Both Uses of
discriminate
in
1776, by McCullough
- The harsh winter winds and driving snows of the bay area inflicted misery indiscriminately on both armies, of course, but for the King's men, unaccustomed to such a climate, the punishment was all but unbearable.†
p. 72.8 *indiscriminately = done without recognition of differencesstandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in indiscriminately means not and reverses the meaning of discriminately. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
- Lord Rawdon, who was with General Clinton in the lead boat, later wrote that the Hessians, unaccustomed to "this water business" and fearful of being fired on when packed so closely, began singing hymns, while the redcoats responded in their own fashion, "by damning themselves and the enemy indiscriminately with wonderful fervency."†
p. 211.5
Definitions:
-
(1)
(discriminate as in: suffered discrimination) to treat people of different groups differently -- especially unfair treatment due to race, religion or gender
-
(2)
(discriminate as in: discriminating taste) to recognize or perceive differences -- especially fine distinctions