5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defile  \De*file"\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Defiled};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Defiling}.]  [F.  d['e]filer;  pref.  d['e]-,  for  des-  (L. 
  dis-)  +  file  a  row  or  line  See  {File}  a  row.] 
  To  march  off  in  a  line  file  by  file;  to  file  off 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defile  \De*file"\,  v.  t.  (Mil.) 
  Same  as  {Defilade}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defile  \De*file"\  (?;  277),  n.  [Cf.  F.  d['e]fil['e],  fr 
  d['e]filer  to  defile.] 
  1.  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 
 
  2.  (Mil.)  The  act  of  defilading  a  fortress,  or  of  raising  the 
  exterior  works  in  order  to  protect  the  interior.  See 
  {Defilade}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defile  \De*file"\,  v.  t.  [OE.  defoulen  -foilen,  to  tread  down 
  OF  defouler  de-  +  fouler  to  trample  (see  {Full},  v.  t.), 
  and  OE  defoulen  to  foul  (influenced  in  form  by  the  older 
  verb  defoilen).  See  {File}  to  defile,  {Foul},  {Defoul}.] 
  1.  To  make  foul  or  impure;  to  make  filthy;  to  dirty;  to 
  befoul;  to  pollute. 
 
  They  that  touch  pitch  will  be  defiled.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  soil  or  sully;  to  tarnish,  as  reputation;  to  taint. 
 
  He  is  .  .  .  among  the  greatest  prelates  of  this  age, 
  however  his  character  may  be  defiled  by  .  .  .  dirty 
  hands.  --Swift. 
 
  3.  To  injure  in  purity  of  character;  to  corrupt. 
 
  Defile  not  yourselves  with  the  idols  of  Egypt. 
  --Ezek.  xx  7. 
 
  4.  To  corrupt  the  chastity  of  to  debauch;  to  violate. 
 
  The  husband  murder'd  and  the  wife  defiled.  --Prior. 
 
  5.  To  make  ceremonially  unclean;  to  pollute. 
 
  That  which  dieth  of  itself  or  is  torn  with  beasts, 
  he  shall  not  eat  to  defile  therewith.  --Lev.  xxii. 
  8. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  defile 
  n  :  a  narrow  pass  (especially  one  between  mountains)  [syn:  {gorge}] 
  v  1:  place  under  suspicion  or  cast  doubt  upon  "sully  someone's 
  reputation"  [syn:  {sully},  {corrupt},  {taint},  {cloud}] 
  2:  make  dirty  or  spotty;  also  used  metaphorically:  "The  silver 
  was  tarnished  by  the  long  exposure  to  the  air";  "Her 
  reputation  was  sullied  after  the  affair  with  a  married 
  man"  [syn:  {tarnish},  {maculate},  {sully}] 
  3:  spot,  stain,  or  pollute;  "The  townspeople  defiled  the  river 
  by  emptying  raw  sewage  into  it"  [syn:  {foul},  {befoul},  {maculate}] 

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