defile
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
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- Rhymes: -aɪl
[edit] Etymology 1
From Middle English defilen (“to make dirty”), alteration (due to Middle English defoulen, defoilen (“to trample, abuse”)) of Middle English befilen (“to defile, make foul”), from Old English befȳlan (“to befoul, defile”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- + *fūlijanan (“to defile, make filthy”). Cognate with Dutch bevuilen (“to defile, soil”). More at be-, file, foul.
[edit] Verb
defile (third-person singular simple present defiles, present participle defiling, simple past and past participle defiled)
- (transitive) to make impure; to make dirty.
[edit] Translations
to make impure or dirty
[edit] Etymology 2
Earlier defilee, French défilé, from défiler (“to march past”), from file (“file”).
[edit] Noun
defile (plural defiles)
[edit] Translations
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Translations to be checked
[edit] See also
[edit] Verb
defile (third-person singular simple present defiles, present participle defiling, simple past and past participle defiled)
- (obsolete, intransitive) To march in a single file.