All 4 Uses of
defile
in
Cold Sassy Tree
- Undefiled?†
undefiled = unspoiled (beautiful or pure)standard prefix: The prefix "un-" in undefiled means not and reverses the meaning of defiled. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
- Defiled cain't be the right word for you, Love.†
*defiled = spoiled the beauty or purity of something
- I even got over feeling defiled — till I told Clayt and he did what he did.†
- Just accept that I was defiled and hate it and I can never be anybody's wife.†
Definitions:
-
(1)
(defile as in: it was defiled) to spoil the beauty or purity of somethingin various senses, including:
- pollute a pristine lake
- harm a reputation or good name
- damage or disrespect something sacred
- take a person's virginity in a disrespectful way
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely (but not uncommon in classic literature), defile can refer to a narrow valley or a march or passage through one.