defile
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
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- + *fūlijaną (“to defile, make filthy”). Cognate with Dutch bevuilen (“to defile, soil”). More at be-, file, foul.
Verb[edit]
defile (third-person singular simple present defiles, present participle defiling, simple past and past participle defiled)
- (transitive) to make impure; to make dirty.
Synonyms[edit]
Antonyms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to make impure or dirty
|
Etymology 2[edit]
Earlier defilee, from French défilé, from défiler (“to march past”), from file (“file”).
Noun[edit]
defile (plural defiles)
- A narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains.
- A single file, such as of soldiers.
- The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
Translations[edit]
narrow passage
single file
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
See also[edit]
Verb[edit]
defile (third-person singular simple present defiles, present participle defiling, simple past and past participle defiled)
- (obsolete, intransitive) To march in a single file.
Translations[edit]
to march in a single file
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms derived from French
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with multiple etymologies
