Defile vs. Define — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Defile and Define
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Compare with Definitions
Defile
To make filthy or dirty; pollute
Defile a river with sewage.
Define
State or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of
The contract will seek to define the client's obligations
Defile
To debase the pureness or excellence of; corrupt
A country landscape that was defiled by urban sprawl.
Define
Mark out the boundary or limits of
The river defines the park's boundary
Defile
To profane or sully (a reputation, for example).
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Define
To state the precise meaning of (a word or sense of a word, for example).
Defile
To make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate
Defile a temple.
Define
To describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain
Define the properties of a new drug.
A study that defines people according to their median incomes.
Defile
To have sexual intercourse with (a woman who is a virgin).
Define
To make clear the outline or form of; delineate
Gentle hills that were defined against the sky.
Defile
To move in single file or in files or columns
The soldiers defiled from the fort, arms raised in surrender.
Define
To specify distinctly
Define the weapons to be used in limited warfare.
Defile
A narrow gorge or pass that restricts lateral movement, as of troops.
Define
To give form or meaning to
"For him, a life is defined by action" (Jay Parini).
Defile
A march in a line.
Define
To make or write a definition.
Defile
(transitive)
Define
To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly.
The defining power of an optical instrument
Defile
To make (someone or something) physically dirty or unclean; to befoul, to soil.
Define
(obsolete) To settle, decide an argument etc.
Defile
To make (someone or something) morally impure or unclean; to corrupt, to tarnish.
Define
To express the essential nature of something.
I define myself as a techno-anarchist.
Your past mistakes do not define who you are.
Defile
To act inappropriately towards or vandalize (something sacred or special); to desecrate, to profane.
To urinate on someone’s grave is an example of a way to defile it.
Define
To state the meaning of a word, phrase, sign, or symbol.
The textbook defined speed as velocity divided by time.
Defile
(religion) To cause (something or someone) to become ritually unclean.
Define
To describe, explain, or make definite and clear; used to request the listener or other person to elaborate or explain more clearly his or her intended meaning of a word or expression.
Person 1: Is she good at math?
Person 2: Define "good." If you mean if she is faster than the average middle schooler at multiplication, then yes. If you mean if she is able to do multivariable calculus, then no.
Person 2: Define "good." If you mean if she is faster than the average middle schooler at multiplication, then yes. If you mean if she is able to do multivariable calculus, then no.
Defile
(obsolete)
Define
To demark sharply the outlines or limits of an area or concept.
To define the legal boundaries of a property
Defile
To become dirty or unclean.
Define
(mathematics) To establish the referent of a term or notation.
Defile
To cause uncleanliness; specifically, to pass feces; to defecate.
Define
(programming) A kind of macro in source code that replaces one text string with another wherever it occurs.
Defile
To march in a single file or line; to file.
Define
To fix the bounds of; to bring to a termination; to end.
Defile
To march across (a place) in files or lines.
Define
To determine or clearly exhibit the boundaries of; to mark the limits of; as, to define the extent of a kingdom or country.
Defile
Synonym of defilade
Define
To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument.
Rings . . . very distinct and well defined.
Defile
A narrow passage or way (originally (military), one which soldiers could only march through in a single file or line), especially a narrow gorge or pass between mountains.
Define
To determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term.
They define virtue to be life ordered according to nature.
Defile
(military)
Define
To determine; to decide.
Defile
An act of marching in files or lines.
Define
Give a definition for the meaning of a word;
Define `sadness'
Defile
A single file of soldiers; (by extension) any single file.
Define
Determine the essential quality of
Defile
An act of defilading a fortress or other place, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
Define
Determine the nature of;
What defines a good wine?
Defile
To march off in a line, file by file; to file off.
Define
Delineate the form or outline of;
The tree was clearly defined by the light
The camera could define the smallest object
Defile
Same as Defilade.
Defile
To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute.
They that touch pitch will be defiled.
Defile
To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint.
He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands.
Defile
To injure in purity of character; to corrupt.
Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt.
Defile
To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate; to rape.
The husband murder'd and the wife defiled.
Defile
To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile therewith.
Defile
Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc.
Defile
The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade.
Defile
A narrow pass (especially one between mountains)
Defile
Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon;
Sully someone's reputation
Defile
Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically;
The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air
Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man
Defile
Spot, stain, or pollute;
The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it
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