pollutions

Noun

pollution (usually uncountable, plural pollutions)

1. (usually) Physical contamination, now especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, or by disruptive levels of noise, light etc.
   • Pollution levels are almost always higher in cities rather than the countryside, what with the cars, industry and so on.

   Synonyms:

   defedation, defilement, soilage, adulteration, contamination, sophistication

   Antonyms:

   conservation

2. (usually) Something that pollutes; a pollutant.

   Synonyms:

   adulterant, contaminant, contamination, impurity, sophisticant, adulterator, contaminator, pollutant, taint

3. (archaic, usually) The desecration of something holy or sacred; defilement, profanation.
   • Men who attend the Altar, and should most / Endevor Peace: thir strife pollution brings / Upon the Temple it self […].1667, John Milton, “Book XII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...

   Synonyms:

   debasement, debauchment, perversion, abasement, adulteration, corruption, defilement, depravation, depravement, impurification

   Antonyms:

   purity

4. (archaic, usually) The ejaculation of semen outside of sexual intercourse, especially a nocturnal emission.
   • When occasioned by a voluntary act it is called, simply, Pollution or Masturbation (q.v.); when excited, during sleep, by lascivious dreams, it takes the name Noctur'nal pollution, Exoneiro'sis, Oneirog'mos, Oneirog'onos, Gonorrhœ'a dormien'tium, G. oneirog'onos, G. Vera, G. libidino'sa...1839, Robley Dunglison, Medical Lexicon, Blanchard, page 492
5. (usually) Moral or spiritual corruption; impurity, degradation, defilement.
   • She condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in spite of that pollution which its woods had received.1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   baseness, perversion, corruption, defilement, degeneracy, degradation, depravation, depravedness, depravity, impurity