giving a bad name

Verb

give a bad name (third-person singular simple present gives a bad name, present participle giving a bad name, simple past gave a bad name, past participle given a bad name)

1. To cause people to lose respect, reverence or esteem for something or someone.
   • The Spanish Inquisition gave all other government inquisitions a bad name, as far as common usage is concerned.

   Synonyms:

   discredit, dishonour, knock down to size, put someone in their place, abase, bring down to size, cut down to size, debase, defame, degrade