defile
noun
- geomorphological structure
verb
- corrupt or taint
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /dɪˈfaɪl/ / /ˈdiː-/ / /dəˈfaɪl/
noun
Etymology: The verb is borrowed from French défiler (“to arrange soldiers or fortify (something) as a protection from enfilading fire; to unthread”) (compare Middle French desfilher (“to unthread”)), from dé- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + enfiler (“to rake with gunfire, enfilade; to string on to a thread; to thread (a needle)”) (from en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into; on, on to’) + filer (verb) or file (noun); see etymology 2). The noun is derived from the verb.
- An act of defilading a fortress or other place, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
verb
Etymology: The verb is borrowed from French défiler (“to arrange soldiers or fortify (something) as a protection from enfilading fire; to unthread”) (compare Middle French desfilher (“to unthread”)), from dé- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + enfiler (“to rake with gunfire, enfilade; to string on to a thread; to thread (a needle)”) (from en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into; on, on to’) + filer (verb) or file (noun); see etymology 2). The noun is derived from the verb.
- Synonym of defilade (“to fortify (something) as a protection from enfilading fire”).