defile

¹ American  

[dih-fahyl] / dɪˈfaɪl /

verb (used with object)

defiled, defiling

1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase.

2. to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate.

3. to sully, as a person's reputation.

4. Archaic. to violate the chastity of.

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defile ² American  

[dih-fahyl, dee-fahyl] / dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪl /

noun

1. any narrow passage, especially between mountains.

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verb (used without object)

defiled, defiling

1. to march in a line or by files.

defile ¹ British  

/ dɪˈfaɪl /

verb

1. to make foul or dirty; pollute

2. to tarnish or sully the brightness of; taint; corrupt

3. to damage or sully (someone's good name, reputation, etc)

4. to make unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate

5. to violate the chastity of

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defile ² British  

/ ˈdiːfaɪl, dɪˈfaɪl /

noun

1. a narrow pass or gorge, esp one between two mountains

2. a single file of soldiers, etc

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verb

1. military to march or cause to march in single file

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• defilement
  noun
• defilable
  adjective
• defilingly
  adverb
• defiler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of defile¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defilen, defelen, alteration of defoilen (by association with filen “to defile” ( see file ³), from Anglo-French, Old French defouler “to trample on, violate”; compare Old English befȳlan “to befoul”

Origin of defile²

1675–85; < French défilé, noun use of past participle of défiler to file off; see defilade

Explanation

When you defile something, you make it dirty or make it lose its purity. Think of a snowy field in which someone has tossed their old cans and wrappers. The litter defiles the winter wonderland. For something to be defiled, it first must be pure. You can't defile a garbage dump or a messy room. Defile is often used in a religious context. If you were to burn a copy of the Bible or spray-paint the walls of a church, it could be said that you defiled the holy book or place.

Example Sentences

My grandmother Defile who died with a bald head in a prison, because God had given her wings.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat

In the fighting times the Defile of Donzère was a famous place in which to bring armies to a stand.

From The Christmas Kalends of Provence And Some Other Provençal Festivals by Janvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone)

"Defile not your hands with the blood of the unbeliever," he said; "but take him before the cadi to answer his conduct."

From Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Book Number Fifteen in the Jack Harkaway Series by Hemyng, Bracebridge

I shall go down to the Lancone Defile.

From The Isle of Unrest by Merriman, Henry Seton

The ascent to this lake, through the famous Buam Defile, or Happy Pass, afforded some of the grandest scenery on our route through Asia.

From Across Asia on a Bicycle by Allen, Thomas Gaskell

Related Words

• besmirch
• debase
• degrade
• desecrate
• discolor
• dishonor
• sully
• vitiate