defiling

Verb

defile (third-person singular simple present defiles, present participle defiling, simple past and past participle defiled)

1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) physically dirty or unclean; to befoul, to soil.
   • […] It is an euil birde that defiles his owne neſt, […]1549 April 22 (Gregorian calendar), Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[27 Sermons Preached by the Ryght Reuerende Father in God and Constant Matir of Iesus Christe...

   Synonyms:

   contaminate, pollute, spoil, sully, assoil, beclart, bedaub, bedirty, imbrue (especially with blood), bedizen

   Antonyms:

   clean, purify, cleanse

2. (transitive) To make (someone or something) morally impure or unclean; to corrupt, to tarnish.
   • [T]here is no thynge with outt a man that can diffyle hym when hitt entreth in to hym⸝ but thoo thyngꝭ [things] which procede out of a mã [man] are thoſe which defyle a mã.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Gospell off S. Marke vij:[15], folio liiij, recto
3. (transitive) 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.

   Synonyms:

   corrupt, desecrate, profanate, profane, profanize, pollute, sully, tarnish, violate

   Antonyms:

   hallow, sanctify, avow, behallow, bless, canonize, consecrate, dedicate, inaugurate, martyr

4. (transitive) To cause (something or someone) to become ritually unclean.
   • What ſo euer crepeth vpon earth, ſhall be an abhominacion vnto you, and ſhal not be eaten. […] Make not youre ſoules abhominable, and defyle you not in them, to ſtayne youre ſelues: for I am the LORDE youre God. Therfore ſhal ye ſanctifie youre ſelues, that ye maye be holy, for I am holy. And ye...1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Leuiticus xj:[41...
5. (obsolete, transitive) To deprive (someone) of their sexual chastity or purity, often not consensually; to deflower, to rape.
   • The serial rapist kidnapped and defiled a six-year-old girl.

   Synonyms:

   ravish, violate, vitiate, abuse, constuprate, defoul, dishonour, force, misuse, oppress

6. (obsolete, transitive) To dishonour (someone).
   • Come recreant, come thou childe, / Ile vvhippe thee vvith a rodde. He is defil'd, / That dravves a ſvvord on thee.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

See all 15 meanings of defile