Both Uses of
desecrate
in
Anna Karenina
- For a long while he could say nothing, not so much because he was afraid of desecrating the loftiness of his emotion by a word, as that every time he tried to say something, instead of words he felt that tears of happiness were welling up.†
Part 4 *desecrating = violating the sacred nature of something
- He could not admit that he was mistaken then, for his spiritual condition then was precious to him, and to admit that it was a proof of weakness would have been to desecrate those moments.†
Part 8desecrate = violate the sacred nature of something