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defeat

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To defeat is defined as to beat someone at something or to prevent something from happening.

(verb)

When you beat your opponent in a race, this is an example of a situation where you defeat your opponent.
When you prevent a bill from becoming a law, this is an example of a situation where you defeat the bill.

Defeat is defined as the state of being beaten or having lost.

(noun)

When you have just lost a race, this is an example of a situation where you feel defeat.

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See defeat in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to win victory over; overcome; beat
to bring to nothing; frustrate: defeating our plans
to make null and void
Obsolete to undo; destroy

Origin: ME defeten < defet, disfigured, null and void < OFr desfait, pp. of desfaire, to undo < ML disfacere, to deface, ruin < L dis-, from + facere, to do

noun

the act of defeating, or gaining victory
the fact of being defeated
frustration
nullification

Origin: ME defet

See defeat in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb de·feat·ed, de·feat·ing, de·feats

To win victory over; beat.
To prevent the success of; thwart: Internal strife defeats the purpose of teamwork.
Law To make void; annul.

noun

The act of defeating or state of being defeated.
Failure to win.
A coming to naught; frustration: the defeat of a lifelong dream.
Law The act of making null and void.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English defeten

Origin: , from defet, disfigured

Origin: , from Old French desfait

Origin: , past participle of desfaire, to destroy

Origin: , from Medieval Latin disfacere, to destroy, mutilate, undo

Origin: : Latin dis-, dis-

Origin: + Latin facere, to do; see dhē- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

de·featˈer noun

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