| 释义 |
de·feat
I. \də̇ˈfēt, dēˈ-, usu -fēd.+V\ transitive verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English deffeten, from Middle French desfait, deffait, past participle of desfaire, deffaire to destroy, from Old French, from Medieval Latin disfacere, from Latin dis- + facere to do — more at do
1. archaic : undo, destroy
< his unkindness may defeat my life — Shakespeare >
2. obsolete : to mar the looks of : disfigure
3. : to render null and void (as a title to property, a legal claim) : nullify, frustrate
< defeated hopes >
4. : to win victory over, check the progress of, or destroy the power of : overcome, overthrow
< defeat an army in battle >
< defeated the opposing candidate by a large margin >
< defeated in all his purposes >
< the bill was defeated in the senate >
5. : to decrease the ability of (as a stream) to erode or to maintain a course
< a stream defeated by crustal movement >
Synonyms: see conquer
II. noun
(-s)
1. archaic : undoing : destruction — often used with on
< upon whose property and most dear life a damned defeat was made — Shakespeare >
2. : frustration by rendering null and void or by prevention of success
< the defeat of a plan >
3. : an overthrow especially of an army in battle : loss of a contest : repulse, discomfiture — opposed to victory |