defile

1 of 3

verb (1)

de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)

dē-

defiled; defiling

transitive verb

: to make unclean or impure: such as

: to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase

the countryside defiled by billboards

: to violate the chastity or virginity of : deflower

: to make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating

boots defiled with blood

… I had never allowed anyone to smoke in the truck. Drunk as I was, I knew that I was betraying something by allowing him to defile the truck's interior.

Patrick Moore

: to violate the sanctity of : desecrate

defile a sanctuary

went to jail for costuming themselves in the American flag and thus defiling it

James R. Gaines

: sully, dishonor

defile his reputation

defilement

di-ˈfī(-ə)l-mənt How to pronounce defile (audio)

dē-

noun

defiler

di-ˈfī-lər How to pronounce defile (audio)

dē-

noun

defile

2 of 3

noun

de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)

ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)

geology

: a narrow passage (as between hills, rocks, or cliffs) : gorge entry 1

… come to us from a narrow defile in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy, a place called the Great St. Bernard Pass.

Michael Olmert

defile

3 of 3

verb (2)

de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)

ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)

defiled; defiling

intransitive verb

military

: to march off in a line

… breaks out into a brave and glorious description of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city …

Washington Irving

Did you know?

It's likely that when you hear the verb defile, what comes to mind is not troop movements but, rather, something being contaminated or desecrated. That more commonly encountered homograph of defile, meaning "to make unclean or impure," dates back to the 15th century and is derived from the Anglo-French verb defoiller, meaning "to trample." The other verb homograph, on the other hand, arrived in English in the early 18th century. It is also from French but is derived from the verb défiler, formed by combining dé- with filer ("to move in a column"). Défiler is also the source of the English noun defile, which means "narrow passage or gorge."

Example Sentences

Noun the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Police charged Brevard with abduction with intent to defile in the Homewood Suites attack.

Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2022 He was charged with murder, rape and abduction with the intent to defile.

Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, 17 Nov. 2021 There's little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home, but then there's disdain for pluralism and their disregard for human life, and their determination to defile national symbols.

ABC News, 12 Sep. 2021 The quick answer is that seven-inning games defile the traditions of what has been America’s most-traditional game.

Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune, 15 Aug. 2020 Both journeys displayed how the forest was being defiled and colonised by outsiders: rubber-seekers who bled the trees and massacred the tribes, crazed religious sects.

The Economist, 28 May 2020 Drug gangs kill with impunity, leaving their enemies’ defiled corpses displayed as warnings.

Lorena Rios, Bloomberg.com, 11 Feb. 2020 In most hacks that defile our computers, tablets, and cellphones, a traditional vector is through new code that is introduced and executed.

Frank O’brien, Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2020 Krystal wouldn’t be defiled this early Tuesday morning — not after that Monday night.

Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 14 Jan. 2020

Noun

Almost 200 species of birds have been seen in high-walled Ramsey Canyon, a lush defile in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista that's managed by the Nature Conservancy.

Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022 Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls.

Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020 The 27-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile and burglary.

Ria Manglapus And Lisa M. Bolton, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2019 Rather than simple abduction, Fairfax prosecutors charged Hughes with abduction with intent to defile, which carried a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 10 Dec. 2019 The easier higher slopes gave way below the timberline to defiles lined with tree roots and narrow ravines.

Simon Akam, Outside Online, 27 Nov. 2019 From the open valley of the Río Chaschuil, the road suddenly plunged into narrow defiles where the rock was blushed with surreal mineral colors—crimson, verdigris, malachite, violet.

Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2019 The path traces a gentle stream into a narrow defile framed by soaring cliffs.

Roger Naylor, azcentral, 13 July 2018 The path traces a gentle stream into a narrow defile framed by soaring cliffs.

Roger Naylor, azcentral, 13 July 2018 See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, alteration (influenced by filen to defile, from Old English fȳlan) of defoilen to trample, defile, from Anglo-French defoiller, defuler, to trample, from de- + fuller, foller to trample, literally, to full — more at full

Noun

French défilé, from past participle of défiler — see defile entry 3

Verb (2)

French défiler, from dé- de- + filer to move in a column — more at file

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1705, in the meaning defined above

单词	defiled
释义	defile 1 of 3 verb (1) de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l dē- defiled; defiling transitive verb : to make unclean or impure: such as a : to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase the countryside defiled by billboards b : to violate the chastity or virginity of : deflower c : to make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating boots defiled with blood … I had never allowed anyone to smoke in the truck. Drunk as I was, I knew that I was betraying something by allowing him to defile the truck's interior. Patrick Moore d : to violate the sanctity of : desecrate defile a sanctuary went to jail for costuming themselves in the American flag and thus defiling it James R. Gaines e : sully, dishonor defile his reputation defilement di-ˈfī(-ə)l-mənt dē- noun defiler di-ˈfī-lər dē- noun defile 2 of 3 noun de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l geology : a narrow passage (as between hills, rocks, or cliffs) : gorge entry 1 … come to us from a narrow defile in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy, a place called the Great St. Bernard Pass. Michael Olmert defile 3 of 3 verb (2) de·file di-ˈfī(-ə)l ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l defiled; defiling intransitive verb military : to march off in a line … breaks out into a brave and glorious description of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city … Washington Irving Did you know? It's likely that when you hear the verb defile, what comes to mind is not troop movements but, rather, something being contaminated or desecrated. That more commonly encountered homograph of defile, meaning "to make unclean or impure," dates back to the 15th century and is derived from the Anglo-French verb defoiller, meaning "to trample." The other verb homograph, on the other hand, arrived in English in the early 18th century. It is also from French but is derived from the verb défiler, formed by combining dé- with filer ("to move in a column"). Défiler is also the source of the English noun defile, which means "narrow passage or gorge." Synonyms Verb (1) befoul contaminate foul poison pollute taint Noun canyon cañon col couloir flume gap gill [British] gorge gulch gulf kloof [South African] linn [chiefly Scottish] notch pass ravine saddle See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up Recent Examples on the Web Verb Police charged Brevard with abduction with intent to defile in the Homewood Suites attack. Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2022 He was charged with murder, rape and abduction with the intent to defile. Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, 17 Nov. 2021 There's little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home, but then there's disdain for pluralism and their disregard for human life, and their determination to defile national symbols. ABC News, 12 Sep. 2021 The quick answer is that seven-inning games defile the traditions of what has been America’s most-traditional game. Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune, 15 Aug. 2020 Both journeys displayed how the forest was being defiled and colonised by outsiders: rubber-seekers who bled the trees and massacred the tribes, crazed religious sects. The Economist, 28 May 2020 Drug gangs kill with impunity, leaving their enemies’ defiled corpses displayed as warnings. Lorena Rios, Bloomberg.com, 11 Feb. 2020 In most hacks that defile our computers, tablets, and cellphones, a traditional vector is through new code that is introduced and executed. Frank O’brien, Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2020 Krystal wouldn’t be defiled this early Tuesday morning — not after that Monday night. Michael Casagrande \| Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 14 Jan. 2020 Noun Almost 200 species of birds have been seen in high-walled Ramsey Canyon, a lush defile in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista that's managed by the Nature Conservancy. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022 Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls. Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020 The 27-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile and burglary. Ria Manglapus And Lisa M. Bolton, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2019 Rather than simple abduction, Fairfax prosecutors charged Hughes with abduction with intent to defile, which carried a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 10 Dec. 2019 The easier higher slopes gave way below the timberline to defiles lined with tree roots and narrow ravines. Simon Akam, Outside Online, 27 Nov. 2019 From the open valley of the Río Chaschuil, the road suddenly plunged into narrow defiles where the rock was blushed with surreal mineral colors—crimson, verdigris, malachite, violet. Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2019 The path traces a gentle stream into a narrow defile framed by soaring cliffs. Roger Naylor, azcentral, 13 July 2018 The path traces a gentle stream into a narrow defile framed by soaring cliffs. Roger Naylor, azcentral, 13 July 2018 See More Word History Etymology Verb (1) Middle English, alteration (influenced by filen to defile, from Old English fȳlan) of defoilen to trample, defile, from Anglo-French defoiller, defuler, to trample, from de- + fuller, foller to trample, literally, to full — more at full Noun French défilé, from past participle of défiler — see defile entry 3 Verb (2) French défiler, from dé- de- + filer to move in a column — more at file First Known Use Verb (1) 15th century, in the meaning defined above Noun 1685, in the meaning defined above Verb (2) 1705, in the meaning defined above Legal Definition defile transitive verb de·file di-ˈfīl defiled; defiling : to dishonor by physical acts (as trampling, dirtying, or mutilating) defiling the flag defiled 1 of 2 adjective as in tainted Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance tainted polluted contaminated impure sullied unclean stained befouled soiled besmirched filthy blackened begrimed smudged draggled bedraggled dingy sordid uncleanly grimy muddy grubby germy unwashed smutty uncleaned black mucky dirty foul dusty bemired grungy insanitary disordered cruddy unsanitary grotty unsterilized littered disarranged unsterile disarrayed disheveled rumpled confused slovenly cluttered messed unkempt untidy muddled greasy jumbled mussed gunky messy mussy scruffy chaotic squalid sloppy shabby nasty raunchy skanky dishevelled scuzzy crocked sooty sleazy collied fuliginous Antonyms & Near Antonyms clean spotless unstained immaculate unsullied pure unsoiled cleaned cleansed stainless cleanly clear purified ultraclean limpid ordered groomed bleached orderly tidy combed neat whitened untouched spic-and-span unspotted undefiled perfect spick-and-span untainted shiny virgin unblemished sparkling bright flawless unpolluted wholesome taintless See More defiled 2 of 2 verb past tense of defile 1 as in polluted to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots Synonyms & Similar Words polluted poisoned contaminated tainted befouled infected sullied stained soiled besmirched fouled dirtied smudged begrimed smirched grimed adulterated corrupted diluted blackened muddied rotted spoiled mired spoilt fouled up doctored watered down Antonyms & Near Antonyms purified cleaned cleansed purged distilled cleared clarified filtered decontaminated sterilized disinfected sanitized See More 2 as in violated to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic Synonyms & Similar Words violated desecrated profaned destroyed ravaged ruined demolished tainted sullied insulted polluted contaminated cursed soiled raided blasphemed befouled robbed despoiled plundered wrecked desacralized defamed poisoned stripped offended desolated pillaged swore looted annihilated affronted decimated desanctified fouled deconsecrated ransacked razed sacked devastated outraged spoiled crushed wasted spoilt stript Antonyms & Near Antonyms consecrated sanctified dedicated blessed honored purified respected hallowed cleansed purged blest See More
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defile

verb (1)

noun

verb (2)

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Legal Definition

transitive verb

adjective

verb