1610s, "to cry down, speak disparagingly of;" 1640s, "clamor against actively and publicly," from French decrier (14c.; Old French descrier "cry out, announce"), from des- "apart" (see dis-) + crier "to cry," from Latin quiritare (see cry (v.)). In English, the sense has been colored by the presumption that de- in this word means "down."
