Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Vilify
Vil′i-fy
(vĭl′ĭ-fī)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Vilified
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vilifying
.] [L.
vilis
vile + -fy
; cf. L. vilificare
to esteem of little value.] 1.
To make vile; to debase; to degrade; to disgrace.
[R.]
When themselves they
To serve ungoverned appetite.
vilified
To serve ungoverned appetite.
Milton.
2.
To degrade or debase by report; to defame; to traduce; to calumniate.
I. Taylor.
Many passions dispose us to depress and
vilify
the merit of one rising in the esteem of mankind. Addison.
3.
To treat as vile; to despise.
[Obs.]
I do
vilify
your censure. Beau. & Fl.
Webster 1828 Edition
Vilify
VIL'IFY
,Verb.
T.
1.
To make vile; to debase; to degrade.Their Maker's image forsook them, when themselves they vilified to serve ungovern'd appetite.
2.
To defame; to traduce; to attempt to degrade by slander.Many passions dispose us to depress and vilify the merit of one rising in the esteem of mankind.
[This is the most usual sense of the verb.]
Definition 2024
vilify
vilify
English
Verb
vilify (third-person singular simple present vilifies, present participle vilifying, simple past and past participle vilified)
- (transitive) To say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of.
- (transitive) To belittle through speech; to put down.
Synonyms
- (say defamatory things about): abuse, assail, criticize, decry, denigrate, demonize, denounce, libel, revile, slander, run down
- (belittle, put down): berate
- See also Wikisaurus:defame
Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
say defamatory things about; to speak ill of
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denounce, belittle through speech