purify

views updated

pu·ri·fy / ˈpyoŏrəˌfī/ • v. (-fies, -fied) [tr.] remove contaminants from: the filtration plant is able to purify 70 tons of water a day | [as adj.] (purified) purified linseed oil. ∎  make ceremonially clean: a ritual bath to purify the soul. ∎  rid (something) of an unwanted element: Mao's campaign to purify the Communist Party hierarchy. ∎  (purify something from) extract something from: genomic DNA was purified from whole blood.DERIVATIVES: pu·ri·fi·ca·tion / ˌpyoŏrəfiˈkāshən/ n.pu·rif·i·ca·to·ry / pyoŏˈrifikəˌtôrē/ adj.pu·ri·fi·er n.