WordWeb Online

1. A narrow pass (especially one between mountains)
   - gorge

1. Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
   "defile someone's reputation";
   - sully, corrupt, taint, cloud
    
2. Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
   "The silver was defiled by the long exposure to the air";
   - tarnish, stain, maculate, sully
    
3. Spoil Spot, stain, or pollute
   "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it";
   - foul, befoul, maculate
    
4. Disregard the sacred character of a place or language
   "defile a cemetery";
   - desecrate, profane, outrage, violate

Derived forms: defiling, defiled, defiles

Type of: assail, assault, attack, attaint [archaic], blob, blot, deflower, disgrace, dishonor [US], dishonour [Brit, Cdn], fleck, impair, mar, mountain pass, notch, pass, pollute, set on, shame, spoil, spot, vitiate

Encyclopedia: Defile