Defile Definition

dĭ-fīl
defiled, defiles, defiling
verb
defiled, defiles, defiling
To make filthy or dirty; pollute.
Webster's New World
To march in single file or by files.
Webster's New World
To corrupt.
Webster's New World
To make ceremonially unclean.
Webster's New World
To profane or sully.
Defiled his good name.
Webster's New World
noun
defiles
A narrow passage through which troops must defile.
Webster's New World
Any narrow valley or mountain pass.
Webster's New World
A march in single file or by files.
Webster's New World

The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Defile

Noun

Singular:
defile
Plural:
defiles

Origin of Defile

  • 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.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English defilen alteration (influenced by filen to befoul) (from Old English fȳlan pū̆- in Indo-European roots) of defoulen to trample on, abuse, pollute from Old French defouler to trample, full cloth de- de- fouler to trample, beat down full2

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • French défiler dé- away, off (from Old French de- de–) file line, file (from Old French filer to spin thread, march in line file1) N., from French défilé from past participle of défiler

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Earlier defilee, from French défilé, from défiler (“to march past”), from file (“file”).

    From Wiktionary

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