defile

¹

[dih-fahyl]

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.

defile

²

[dih-fahyl, dee-fahyl]

noun

1. any narrow passage, especially between mountains.

verb (used without object)

defiled, defiling 

1. to march in a line or by files.

defile

¹

/ 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

defile

²

/ ˈdiːfaɪl, dɪˈfaɪl /

noun

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

2. a single file of soldiers, etc

verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of defile¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defilen, defelen, alteration of defoilen (by association with filen “to defile” ( 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; defilade

Word History and Origins

Origin of defile¹

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

Origin of defile²

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

Related Words

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