defile

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: gorgesullycorrupttaintcloudtarnishstainmaculatefoulbefoul

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)Synonyms: gorge

Verb (3)

  1. place under suspicion or cast doubt upon“sully someone's reputation”Synonyms: sullycorrupttaintcloud
  2. 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”Synonyms: tarnishstainmaculatesully
  3. spot, stain, or pollute“The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it”Synonyms: foulbefoulmaculate
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Defile \De*file"\ (d[-e]*f[imac]l"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Defiled (d[-e]*f[imac]ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Defiling.] [F. d['e]filer; pref. d['e]-, for des- (L. dis-) + file a row or line. See File a row.] To march off in a line, file by file; to file off. [1913 Webster]
Defile \De*file"\, v. t. (Mil.) Same as Defilade. [1913 Webster]
Defile \De*file"\ (d[-e]*f[imac]l" or d[=e]"f[imac]l; 277), n. [Cf. F. d['e]fil['e], fr. d['e]filer to defile.]

1.Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc. [1913 Webster]

2.(Mil.) The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade. [1913 Webster]

Defile \De*file"\ (d[-e]*f[imac]l"), v. t. [OE. defoulen, -foilen, to tread down, OF. defouler; de- + fouler to trample (see Full, v. t.), and OE. defoulen to foul (influenced in form by the older verb defoilen). See File to defile, Foul, Defoul.]

1.To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute. [1913 Webster]

They that touch pitch will be defiled.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint. [1913 Webster]

He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands.— Swift.[1913 Webster]

3.To injure in purity of character; to corrupt. [1913 Webster]

Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt.— Ezek. xx. 7.[1913 Webster]

4.To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate; to rape. [1913 Webster]

The husband murder'd and the wife defiled.— Prior.[1913 Webster]

5.To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute. [1913 Webster]

That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile therewith.— Lev. xxii. 8.[1913 Webster]
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