[syn: invalidate, void, vitiate]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Vitiate \Vi"ti*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vitiated; p. pr. &
vb. n. Vitiating.] [L. vitiatus, p. p. vitiare to vitiate,
fr. vitium a fault, vice. See Vice a fault.] [Written also
viciate.]
1. To make vicious, faulty, or imperfect; to render
defective; to injure the substance or qualities of; to
impair; to contaminate; to spoil; as, exaggeration
vitiates a style of writing; sewer gas vitiates the air.
[1913 Webster]
A will vitiated and growth out of love with the
truth disposes the understanding to error and
delusion. --South.
[1913 Webster]
Without care it may be used to vitiate our minds.
--Burke.
[1913 Webster]
This undistinguishing complaisance will vitiate the
taste of readers. --Garth.
[1913 Webster]
2. To cause to fail of effect, either wholly or in part; to
make void; to destroy, as the validity or binding force of
an instrument or transaction; to annul; as, any undue
influence exerted on a jury vitiates their verdict; fraud
vitiates a contract.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
vitiate
v 1: corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch
the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was
accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors
subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" [syn:
corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize,
demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate,
deprave, misdirect]
2: make imperfect; "nothing marred her beauty" [syn: mar,
impair, spoil, deflower, vitiate]
3: take away the legal force of or render ineffective;
"invalidate a contract" [syn: invalidate, void,
vitiate] [ant: validate]