defeat
[ dih-feet ]
/ dɪˈfit /
verb (used with object)
noun
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
conquistador, king, winner, hero, champion, top, queen, champ, conqueror, first, medalist, subjugator, vanquisher, victor, subduer, greatest, prizewinner
Nearby words
defaulter, defcon, defeasance, defease, defeasible, defeat, defeatism, defeatist, defeature, defecate, defecation
Origin of defeat
1325–75; Middle English defeten (v.) < Anglo-French, Old French desfait, past participle of desfaire to undo, destroy < Medieval Latin disfacere, equivalent to Latin dis- dis-1 + facere to do
Related forms
Synonym study
1. Defeat, conquer, overcome, subdue imply gaining a victory or control over an opponent. Defeat suggests beating or frustrating: to defeat an enemy in battle. Conquer implies finally gaining control over, usually after a series of efforts or against systematic resistance: to conquer a country, one's inclinations. Overcome emphasizes surmounting difficulties in prevailing over an antagonist: to overcome opposition, bad habits. Subdue means to conquer so completely that resistance is broken: to subdue a rebellious spirit.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for defeater
defeat
/ (dɪˈfiːt) /
verb (tr)
to overcome in a contest or competition; win a victory over
to thwart or frustratethis accident has defeated all his hopes of winning
law to render null and void; annul
noun
Derived Formsdefeater, noun
Word Origin for defeat
C14: from Old French desfait, from desfaire to undo, ruin, from des- dis- 1 + faire to do, from Latin facere
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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