defile
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
de·file 1
(dĭ-fīl′)tr.v. de·filed, de·fil·ing, de·files
1. To make filthy or dirty; pollute: defile a river with sewage.
2. To debase the pureness or excellence of; corrupt: a country landscape that was defiled by urban sprawl.
3. To profane or sully (a reputation, for example).
4. To make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate: defile a temple.
5. To have sexual intercourse with (a woman who is a virgin).
[Middle English defilen, alteration (influenced by filen, to befoul, from Old English fȳlan; see pū̆- in Indo-European roots) of defoulen, to trample on, abuse, pollute, from Old French defouler, to trample, full cloth : de-, de- + fouler, to trample, beat down; see full2.]
de·file′ment n.
de·fil′er n.
de·file 2
(dĭ-fīl′)intr.v. de·filed, de·fil·ing, de·files
To move in single file or in files or columns: The soldiers defiled from the fort, arms raised in surrender.
n.
1. A narrow gorge or pass that restricts lateral movement, as of troops.
2. A march in a line.
[French défiler : dé-, away, off (from Old French de-; see de-) + file, line, file (from Old French filer, to spin thread, march in line; see file1). N., from French défilé, from past participle of défiler.]
defile
(dɪˈfaɪl)vb (tr)
1. to make foul or dirty; pollute
2. to tarnish or sully the brightness of; taint; corrupt
3. to damage or sully (someone's good name, reputation, etc)
4. to make unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate
5. to violate the chastity of
[C14: from earlier defoilen (influenced by filen to file3), from Old French defouler to trample underfoot, abuse, from de- + fouler to tread upon; see full2]
deˈfilement n
deˈfiler n
defile
(ˈdiːfaɪl; dɪˈfaɪl)n
1. (Physical Geography) a narrow pass or gorge, esp one between two mountains
2. (Military) a single file of soldiers, etc
vb
(Military) chiefly military to march or cause to march in single file
[C17: from French défilé, from défiler to file off, from filer to march in a column, from Old French: to spin, from fil thread, from Latin fīlum]
de•file1
(dɪˈfaɪl)v.t. -filed, -fil•ing.
1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean.
2. to violate the chastity of.
3. to desecrate.
4. to sully, as a person's reputation.
[1275–1325; < Old French defouler to trample on, violate]
de•file′ment, n.
de•fil′er, n.
de•fil′ing•ly, adv.
de•file2
(dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪl)n., v. -filed, -fil•ing. n.
1. a narrow passage, esp. between mountains.
v.i. 2. to march in a line or by files.
[1675–85; < French défilé, n. use of past participle of défiler to file off; see defilade]
defile
Past participle: defiled
Gerund: defiling
| Imperative |
|---|
| defile |
| defile |
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  defile - a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)mountain pass, notch, pass - the location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks; "we got through the pass before it started to snow" |
| Verb | 1. | defile - place under suspicion or cast doubt upon; "sully someone's reputation" |
| 2. | defile - make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; 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" darken - tarnish or stain; "a scandal that darkened the family's good name" | |
| 3. |  defile - spot, stain, or pollute; "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it" |
defile
verb
1. degrade, stain, disgrace, sully, debase, dishonour, besmirch, smirch He felt his father's memory had been defiled by the article.
2. desecrate, violate, contaminate, abuse, pollute, profane, dishonour, despoil, treat sacrilegiously Who gave you permission to defile this sacred place?
defile
verb1. To make dirty:
2. To make physically impure:
Translations