Webster's English Dictionary

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detract

de.tract \di-'trakt\ \-'trak-t*r\ vb [ME detracten, fr. L detractus, pp. of 
   detrahere to withdraw,] disparage, fr. de- + trahere to draw archaic  1: to 
   speak ill of  archaic  2: to take away  3: DIVERT {~ attention}  : to take 
   away something  - de.trac.tor n