adulterate

a·dul·ter·ate  (-dlt-rt)

tr.v. a·dul·ter·at·ed, a·dul·ter·at·ing, a·dul·ter·ates

To make impure by adding extraneous, improper, or inferior ingredients.

adj. (-tr-t)

1. Spurious; adulterated.

2. Adulterous.

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[Latin adulterre, adultert-, to pollute; see al-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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a·dulter·ation n.

a·dulter·ator n.

Synonyms: adulterate, debase, doctor, load
These verbs mean to make impure or inferior by adding foreign substances to something: adulterate coffee with ground acorns; silver debased with copper; doctored the wine with water; rag paper loaded with wood fiber.

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adulterate

vb [əˈdʌltəˌreɪt]

(tr) to debase by adding inferior material to adulterate milk with water

adj [əˈdʌltərɪt -ˌreɪt]

1. adulterated; debased or impure

2. a less common word for adulterous

[from Latin adulterāre to corrupt, commit adultery, probably from alter another, hence to approach another, commit adultery]

adulteration  n

adulterator  n

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	adulterate - corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" dilute, debase, load, stretch stretch, extend - increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance; "stretch the soup by adding some more cream"; "extend the casserole with a little rice" spoil, corrupt - alter from the original water down - thin by adding water to; "They watered down the moonshine" doctor, doctor up, sophisticate - alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive; "Sophisticate rose water with geraniol"
Adj.	1.	adulterate - mixed with impurities adulterated, debased impure - combined with extraneous elements

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adulterate

verb debase, thin, weaken, corrupt, deteriorate, mix with, contaminate, devalue, water down, depreciate, attenuate, vitiate, bastardize, make impure The food had been adulterated to increase its weight.

Translations

adulterate [əˈdʌltəreɪt] VT → adulterar

adulterate [əˈdʌltəreɪt] vt [+ alcohol, drugs] → frelater

adulterate

vt

wine, whisky etc → panschen; food → abwandeln; some adulterated Scottish version of Italian cooking → ein schottischer Abklatsch italienischer Küche

(fig) text, original version → verfälschen, Gewalt antun (+dat); an adulterated version of the original → eine verhunzte Fassung des Originals (inf)

adulterate [əˈdʌltəreɪt] vt → adulterare