Defile

n. [ Cf. F. défilé, fr. défiler to defile. ] 1. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. defoulen, -foilen, to tread down, OF. defouler; de- + fouler to trample (see Full, v. t.), and OE. defoulen to foul (influenced in form by the older verb defoilen). See File to defile, Foul, Defoul. ] 1. To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute. [ 1913 Webster ]

They that touch pitch will be defiled. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint. [ 1913 Webster ]

He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To injure in purity of character; to corrupt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt. Ezek. xx. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate; to rape. [ 1913 Webster ]

The husband murder'd and the wife defiled. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute. [ 1913 Webster ]

That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile therewith. Lev. xxii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Mil.) Same as Defilade. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. morally blemished. [ archaic ]
Syn. -- maculate. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Religion) ritually unclean. Opposite of clean.
Syn. -- unclean, impure. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. défilement. See Defile ] (Mil.) The protection of the interior walls of a fortification from an enfilading fire, as by covering them, or by a high parapet on the exposed side. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From 3d Defile. ] The act of defiling, or state of being defiled, whether physically or morally; pollution; foulness; dirtiness; uncleanness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Defilements of the flesh. Hopkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

The chaste can not rake into such filth without danger of defilement. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]