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defile - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'defile' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Defile [ n.]
- Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc.
- The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade.
2 . Defile [ v. i.]
- To march off in a line, file by file; to file off.
3 . Defile [ v. t.]
- Same as Defilade.
- To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute.
- To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint.
- To injure in purity of character; to corrupt.
- To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate.
- To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute.

Meaning of 'defile' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . defile [ v]
Meaning (1):
- make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
Example in sentence:
  • Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man;
  • The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air
Meaning (2):
- place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
Example in sentence:
  • sully someone's reputation
Meaning (3):
- spot, stain, or pollute
Example in sentence:
  • The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it

Nearby Words:

deface defaced defacement defacer defacing defail defailance defailure defalcate defalcated

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