Definitions for defeat
dɪˈfitde·feat

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat, licking(noun)

   an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest

   "it was a narrow defeat"; "the army's only defeat"; "they suffered a convincing licking"

2. frustration, defeat(verb)

   the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals

3. get the better of, overcome, defeat(verb)

   win a victory over

   "You must overcome all difficulties"; "defeat your enemies"; "He overcame his shyness"; "He overcame his infirmity"; "Her anger got the better of her and she blew up"

4. kill, shoot down, defeat, vote down, vote out(verb)

   thwart the passage of

   "kill a motion"; "he shot down the student's proposal"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat(Noun)

   The act of defeating or being defeated

2. defeat(Verb)

   To overcome in battle or contest.

   Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.

3. defeat(Verb)

   To destroy, ruin, undo, lay waste to.

4. defeat(Verb)

   To nullify; to reduce, to nothing, the strength of.

Origin: from desfait, from the verb desfaire des + faciō (to unmake).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Defeat(verb)

   to undo; to disfigure; to destroy

2. Defeat(verb)

   to render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate

3. Defeat(verb)

   to overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow

4. Defeat(verb)

   to resist with success; as, to defeat an assault

5. Defeat

   an undoing or annulling; destruction

6. Defeat

   frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design

7. Defeat

   an overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; -- opposed to victory

Origin: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Defeat

   de-fēt′, v.t. to frustrate: to ruin.—n. a frustration of plans: ruin: overthrow, as of an army in battle.—n. Defeat′ure (Spens.), defeat: disfigurement, disguise. [O. Fr. defait, defaire, to undo—L. dis, neg. facĕre, to do.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat

   This word expresses the complete want of success of an army; a repulse signifying less, and a rout more, than defeat.

2. defeat

   To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3245

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Nouns Frequency: #1306

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Verbs Frequency: #623

How to pronounce defeat?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say defeat in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of defeat in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of defeat in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of defeat in a Sentence

1. I.Marques:

   To Win, You have to accept defeat

2. Fiat Chrysler:

   FCA U.S. does not use 'defeat devices'.

3. H.W. Mann:

   Defeat is embracing what doesn’t work

4. James Mattis:

   Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS.

5. Helen Keller:

   Tyranny cannot defeat the power of ideas.

Images & Illustrations of defeat

Popularity rank by frequency of use