defile
1
[ dih-fahyl ]
/ dɪˈfaɪl /
verb (used with object), de·filed, de·fil·ing.
to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase.
to violate the chastity of.
to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate.
to sully, as a person's reputation.
Origin of defile
1
1275–1325; Middle English
defilen, defelen, alteration of
defoilen (by association with
filen to
file3) < Anglo-French, Old French
defouler to trample on, violate; compare Old English
befȳlan to befoul
OTHER WORDS FROM defile
Words nearby defile
deficit,
deficit financing,
deficit spending,
defier,
defilade,
defile,
define,
defined,
defined-benefit,
definiendum,
definiens
Definition for defiled (2 of 2)
defile
2
[ dih-fahyl, dee-fahyl ]
/ dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪl /
noun
any narrow passage, especially between mountains.
verb (used without object), de·filed, de·fil·ing.
to march in a line or by files.
Origin of defile
2Example sentences from the Web for defiled
British Dictionary definitions for defiled (1 of 2)
defile
1
/ (dɪˈfaɪl) /
verb (tr)
to make foul or dirty; pollute
to tarnish or sully the brightness of; taint; corrupt
to damage or sully (someone's good name, reputation, etc)
to make unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate
to violate the chastity of
Derived forms of defile
defilement, noun defiler, nounWord Origin for defile
C14: from earlier
defoilen (influenced by
filen to
file ³), from Old French
defouler to trample underfoot, abuse, from
de- +
fouler to tread upon; see
full ²
British Dictionary definitions for defiled (2 of 2)
defile
2
/ (ˈdiːfaɪl, dɪˈfaɪl) /
noun
a narrow pass or gorge, esp one between two mountains
a single file of soldiers, etc
verb
mainly military
to march or cause to march in single file
Word Origin for defile
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