The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Desecrate \Des"e*crate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desecrated; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Desecrating.] [L. desecratus, p. p. of
   desecrare (also desacrare) to consecrate, dedicate; but taken
   in the sense if to divest of a sacred character; de- +
   sacrare to consecrate, fr. sacer sacred. See Sacred.]
   To divest of a sacred character or office; to divert from a
   sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to
   put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate.
   [1913 Webster]

         The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment
         without being previously desecrated.     --W. Tooke.
   [1913 Webster]

         The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those
         who should desecrate their donations.    --Salmon.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

desecrate
    v 1: violate the sacred character of a place or language;
         "desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the
         church"; "profane the name of God" [syn: desecrate,
         profane, outrage, violate]
    2: remove the consecration from a person or an object [syn:
       desecrate, unhallow, deconsecrate] [ant: bless,
       consecrate, hallow, sanctify]