† befilev.
Obsolete.
transitive. To make foul or dirty; to defile.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > pollute or defile [verb (transitive)]
afileeOE
besmiteeOE
shenda950
befilec1000
bisulienc1200
defoulc1320
file1340
foilc1380
smota1387
lime1390
solwea1400
surda1400
infectc1425
filtha1450
poison?a1513
defile1530
polluve1533
inquinate1542
pollute1548
contaminate1563
bumfiddlec1595
impure1598
conspurcate1600
defoil1601
sullya1616
vilify1615
deturpate1623
impiate1623
defedate1628
dreg1628
contemerate1650
spot1741
empoison1775
c1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 208 Handa him befylde gesihð weorca unrihta getacnað.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 200 For to bifulen hire mid þocht of alde sunnen.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 445/2 You have befyled your hosen with duste and you have befouled your cappe with asshes.
1532 T. More Confut. Tyndale in Wks. (1557) 685/1 Then shall ye see..thys fayre egle byrde foule befile hys nest.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > [noun]
solwinessa1300
befiling1340
filing1340
sulpinga1350
defouling1382
defoula1387
pollutionc1422
inquination1447
contagya1513
coinquination?1550
defiling1585
dirting1591
tainture1609
impuration1614
conspurcation1616
contamination1620
empoisonment1626
defilement1637
contagion1662
dirtying1674
polluting1897
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 40 Maystres of gyle and of contak and of be-uelynge.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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v.c1000