[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/defile/)

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# defile

verb (defile, defiles, defiled, defiling); noun (defile, defiles)

«defile» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) A defile is a narrow path or valley between high rocks or hills, where only a few can pass at a time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/#m1)
2. (verb, old use) To defile something is to make it dirty or spoil it so it cannot be used. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/#m2)

### In the lessons

in old tales an army or traveller must go through a defile in the mountains; in lessons, a narrow pass; the verb is an old word for making dirty

### Examples

- The army marched through the defile in single file. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/#x1)
- The road ran through a narrow defile between two cliffs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/#x2)
- Do not defile the spring with rubbish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths

## In Jewish tradition

To make a person ritually impure, or to make something holy unclean through wrongdoing or contact with the dead.

**Interpretation.** Jewish law cares about states of purity and impurity. A priest was warned to avoid defilement by the dead except for close relatives.

### Examples

- And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. (Torah LEV.18.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x1)
- He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. (Torah LEV.21.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x2)
- neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; (Torah LEV.21.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x3)
- I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? (Writings SNG.5.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x4)
- But thou art man, and not God, in the hand of them that defile thee. (Prophets EZK.28.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x5)
- But they set their abominations in the house whereupon My name is called, to defile it. (Prophets JER.32.34, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/#x6)

### Note

nothing for maths

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

To make something impure or dirty; as a noun, a narrow path between hills. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/D/defile/#m1)

### Then and now

Today "defile" as a verb means to spoil purity, and as a noun it means a narrow valley pass. The first and third sentences use the verb as we do; the second sentence uses the noun in an old sense.

### Examples

- And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. (Torah LEV.18.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/D/defile/#x1)
- Twenty years later his son Aristomachus consulted an oracle, which promised him victory if he went by way of the defile. (Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/D/defile/#x2)
- He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. (Torah LEV.21.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/D/defile/#x3)

### Note

Today: make dirty, make unclean; narrow pass.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «defile» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defile/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«defile» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/defile.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «defile» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/defile/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«defile» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/defile.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «defile» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/D/defile/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«defile» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/defile.html) on Mova free.