English Vocabulary (A - D)

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defile

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

de·file¹ / diˈfīl/ • v. [tr.] sully, mar, or spoil. ∎ desecrate or profane (something sacred). ∎ archaic violate the chastity of (a woman). DERIVATIVES: de·file·ment n. de·fil·er n. de·file² / diˈfīl; ˈdēˌfīl/ • n. a steep-sided, narrow gorge or passage (originally one requiring troops to march in single file). • v. [intr.] archaic (of troops) march in single file: we emerged after defiling through the mountainsides.

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defile

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

defile 1 make foul or unclean. XIV. alt. of †defoul, †defoil, by assoc. with synon. †befile, OE. befȳlan (f. BE- + fȳlan, f. fūl FOUL). The earlier defoul (XIII), of which there is an unexpl. var. defoil (XIV), was — OF. def(o)uler trample down, outrage, violate, f. DE- 1 + fouler tread, trample :- Rom. *fullāre stamp, f. L. fullō FULLER.
Hence defilement XVII.

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T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-defile.html

T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-defile.html

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defile

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

defile 2 narrow pass between mountains. XVII. orig. defilé, defilee — F. défilé, sb. use of pp. of défiler march by files, f. DE- 2 + file FILE 2. For the loss of the final syll. cf. ASSIGN 2.

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T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-defile1.html

T. F. HOAD. "defile." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-defile1.html

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	The things that defile.(Opinion/Editorial) Newspaper article from: Manila Bulletin; 2/7/2001
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