defilement

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).

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[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.]

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de·file′ment n.

de·fil′er n.

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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.

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[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.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

defilement - the state of being polluted     befoulment, pollution dirtiness, uncleanness - the state of being unsanitary

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

defilement

noun

Impure condition:

dirtiness, foulness, impurity, pollution, uncleanness, unwholesomeness.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

defilement

[dɪˈfaɪlmənt] N [of person, community] → corrupción f; [of sacred thing, memory] → profanación f; [of language] → corrupción f; [of woman] → deshonra f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

defilement

n → Verschmutzung f, → Verunreinigung f; (= desecration) → Schändung f, → Entweihung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

defilement

[dɪˈfaɪlmənt] n (frm) → deturpazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995