Definitions for DEFILE
dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪlde·file

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

1. defile, gorgenoun

   a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)

2. defile, sully, corrupt, taint, cloudverb

   place under suspicion or cast doubt upon

   "sully someone's reputation"

3. tarnish, stain, maculate, sully, defileverb

   make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

   "The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air"; "Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man"

4. foul, befoul, defile, maculateverb

   spot, stain, or pollute

   "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it"

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Defilenoun

   A narrow passage; a long narrow pass; a lane.

   Etymology: deffile, Fr. from file, a line of soldiers, which is derived from silum, a thread.

   There is in Oxford a narrow defile, to use the military term, where the partisans used to encounter. Joseph Addison, Spectator.

2. To DEFILEverb

   Etymology: afilan, Sax. from ful, foul.

   1. To make foul or impure; to make nasty or filthy; to dirty.

   There is a thing, Harry, known to many in our land by the name of pitch: this pitch, as ancient writers do report, doth defile. William Shakespeare, Henry IV. p. i.

   He is justly reckoned among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by mean and dirty hands. Jonathan Swift, Letter concerning the Sacramental Test.

   2. To pollute; to make legally or ritually impure.

   That which dieth of itself he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith. Lev. xxii. 8.

   Neither shall he defile himself for his father. Lev. xxi. 11.

   3. To corrupt chastity; to violate.

   Ev’ry object his offence revil’d,
   The husband murder’d, and the wife defil’d. Matthew Prior.

   4. To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; to make guilty.

   Forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, adultery and shameless uncleanness Wisd. xiv. 26.

   God requires rather that we should die than defile ourselves with impieties. Edward Stillingfleet.

   Let not any instances of sin defile your requests. William Wake.

3. To Defileverb

   To march; to go off file by file.

   Etymology: deffiler, French.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defile

   Defile is a verb that typically means to spoil, desecrate, pollute, or make unclean. This could refer to both physical and non-physical objects, such as a sacred place, a person's honor, or purity of thought. It can also refer to the spoiling of beauty or perfection in general.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Defileverb

   to march off in a line, file by file; to file off

2. Defileverb

   same as Defilade

3. Defilenoun

   any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc

4. Defilenoun

   the act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade

5. Defileverb

   to make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute

6. Defileverb

   to soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint

7. Defileverb

   to injure in purity of character; to corrupt

8. Defileverb

   to corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate

9. Defileverb

   to make ceremonially unclean; to pollute

10. Etymology: [OE. defoulen, -foilen, to tread down, OF. defouler; de- + fouler to trample (see Full, v. t.), and OE. defoulen to foul (influenced in form by the older verb defoilen). See File to defile, Foul, Defoul.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Defile

   Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front. On emerging from a defile into open country, soldiers are said to "debouch". In a traditional military formation, soldiers march in rank and files, so, if a column of soldiers approach a narrow pass the formation must narrow which means that files on the outside must be ordered to the rear so that the column has fewer files and more ranks. The French verb for this order is défilé, from which the English verb comes, as does the physical description for a valley that forces this manoeuvre. Defiles of military significance can also be formed by other physical features that flank a pass or path and cause it to narrow, for example impassable woods and rivers. At the Battle of Agincourt a defile formed by the woods of Agincourt and Tramecourt caused a choke point for the French army and aided the English in their victory over the French. Some defiles have a permanent strategic importance and become known by that term in military literature. For example the military historian William Siborne names such a geographic feature in France near the frontier with Germany in his book Waterloo Campaign 1815:

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Defile

   dē-fīl′, or dē′fīl, v.i. to march off in file or line, or file by file.—n. a long narrow pass or way, in which troops can march only in file, or with a narrow front.—v.t. Defilāde′, to plan a fortification so as to protect it from enfilading fire.—n. Defile′ment. [Fr. défiler—L. dis, and filum, a thread.]

2. Defile

   de-fīl′, v.t. to pollute or corrupt: to violate.—ns. Defile′ment, act of defiling: foulness; Defil′er. [L. de, and A.S. fýlan, fúl, foul.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defile

   A narrow pass between two heights, which obliges a force marching through to narrow its front. This may prove disastrous if attacked, on account of the difficulty of receiving aid from the rear.

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defile

   A narrow passage, or road, through which troops cannot march otherwise than by making a small front and filing off.

Matched Categories

1. • Mar
   • Pass
   • Spot

Anagrams for DEFILE »

1. fidele

How to pronounce DEFILE?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say DEFILE in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of DEFILE in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of DEFILE in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of DEFILE in a Sentence

1. Ramabina Mahapa:

   I want more monuments erected. But don't defile the ones that exist -- we are the sum total of all the history, not just the fun parts. people down the years will be looking at the statue and at his history and what he did.

2. Laura Bush:

   There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home, but in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit.

3. President Bush:

   We have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can do not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But there is disdainful pluralism in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols. They are children of the same foul spirit and it is our continuing duty to confront them.

4. Steve Hofmeyr:

   I don't want fewer monuments, i want more monuments erected. But don't defile the ones that exist -- we are the sum total of all the history, not just the fun parts.

5. Kelvin Cochran:

   Naked men refuse to give in, so they pursue sexual fulfillment through multiple partners, with the opposite sex, the same sex, and sex outside of marriage and many other vile, vulgar and inappropriate ways which defile their body – temple and dishonor God. i did not single out homosexuality.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=DEFILE
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=DEFILE
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/DEFILE
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=DEFILE
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=DEFILE
7. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=DEFILE
8. ^ Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59563/pg59563-images.html