defeat
Contents
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old French desfait, from the verb desfaire (compare modern French défaire), from des- + faire, or possibly from Vulgar Latin disfaciō, disfacere (“unmake”), from Latin dis- + faciō.
PronunciationEdit
VerbEdit
defeat (third-person singular simple present defeats, present participle defeating, simple past and past participle defeated)
- (transitive) To overcome in battle or contest.
- (transitive) To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
- Tillotson
- He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
- A. W. Ward
- In one instance he defeated his own purpose.
- Tillotson
- (transitive) To nullify
- Hallam
- The escheators […] defeated the right heir of his succession.
- Hallam
Related termsEdit
Related terms
TranslationsEdit
to overcome in battle or contest
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to reduce, to nothing, the strength of
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NounEdit
defeat (plural defeats)
- The act of defeating or being defeated.
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2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport[1]:
- Two defeats in five games coming into this contest, and a draw with Everton, ultimately cost Sir Alex Ferguson's side in what became the most extraordinary finale to the league championship since Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield in 1989.
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AntonymsEdit
TranslationsEdit
the act of defeating or being defeated
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