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more about defile
defile |
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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