What does defile mean?
Definitions for defile
dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪlde·file
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word defile.
Princeton's WordNet
defile, gorgenoun
a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)
defile, sully, corrupt, taint, cloudverb
place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
"sully someone's reputation"
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"
foul, befoul, defile, maculateverb
spot, stain, or pollute
"The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it"
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
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.
To DEFILEverb
Etymology: afilan, Sax. from ful, foul.
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.
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.
Ev’ry object his offence revil’d,
The husband murder’d, and the wife defil’d. Matthew Prior.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.
To Defileverb
To march; to go off file by file.
Etymology: deffiler, French.
ChatGPT
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 Dictionary
Defileverb
to march off in a line, file by file; to file off
Defileverb
same as Defilade
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
Defilenoun
the act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade
Defileverb
to make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute
Defileverb
to soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint
Defileverb
to injure in purity of character; to corrupt
Defileverb
to corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate
Defileverb
to make ceremonially unclean; to pollute
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.]
Wikidata
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 Dictionary
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.]
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 Terms
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 Gazetteer
defile
A narrow passage, or road, through which troops cannot march otherwise than by making a small front and filing off.
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Anagrams for defile »
fidele
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of defile in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of defile in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of defile in a Sentence
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.
Vermont was the first State in the nation to outlaw slavery. It’s already plainly in our Constitution that slavery is not allowed in our state, we have so many more important things to do [than] to defile our old important documents to change words that have already been clearly written. There is not one sane person that could so severely misinterpret the words of our constitution to make it read that Vermonters support slavery in any form. If it were to pass, it would not change anything other than a historic document that was so thoughtfully written over two hundred years ago.
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.
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.
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.
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References
Translations for defile
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- لوثArabic
- дефилирам, опетнявам, осквернявамBulgarian
- embrutar, pol·luir, contaminarCatalan, Valencian
- Hohlweg, verunreinigen, EngpassGerman
- paso, desfiladero, ensuciar, desfilar, angostura, impurificar, desfile, contaminar, estrechoSpanish
- tahrata, sola, jonoFinnish
- déflorer, défilé, souiller, défilerFrench
- अपवित्र करनाHindi
- לְטַמֵאHebrew
- 汚れたJapanese
- inquinōLatin
- engte, defilé, bevuilenDutch
- conspurcarPortuguese
- spurcaRomanian
- оскверня́ть, тесни́на, мара́ть, дефиле́, [[у́зкий]] [[прохо́д]], загрязня́ть, развраща́ть, дефилировать, па́чкать, растлева́ть, дефилеRussian
- defilera, orenaSwedish
Get even more translations for defile »
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