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Webster 1913 Edition


Defeat

De-feat′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Defeated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Defeating
.]
[From F.
défait
, OF.
desfait
, p. p. ofe
défaire
, OF.
desfaire
, to undo; L.
dis-
+
facere
to do. See
Feat
,
Fact
, and cf.
Disfashion
.]
1.
To undo; to disfigure; to destroy.
[Obs.]
His unkindness may
defeat
my life.
Shakespeare
2.
To render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate.
He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can
defeat
all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
Tillotson.
The escheators . . .
defeated
the right heir of his succession.
Hallam.
In one instance he
defeated
his own purpose.
A. W. Ward.
3.
To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow.
4.
To resist with success;
as, to
defeat
an assault
.
Syn. – To baffle; disappoint; frustrate.

De-feat′

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
défaite
, fr.
défaire
. See
Defeat
,
Verb.
]
1.
An undoing or annulling; destruction.
[Obs.]
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;
as, the
defeat
of a plan or design
.
3.
An overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; – opposed to
victory
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Defeat

DEFEAT

, n.
1.
Overthrow; loss of battle; the check, rout, or destruction of an army by the victory of an enemy.
2.
Successful resistance; as the defeat of an attack.
3.
Frustration; a rendering null and void; as the defeat of a title.
4.
Frustration; prevention of success; as the defeat of a plan or design.

DEFEAT

, v.t.
1.
To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse or ruin by victory; to overthrow; applies to an army, or a division of troops; to a fleet, or to a commander.
The English army defeated the French on the plains of Abraham. Gen. Wolf defeated Montcalm. The French defeated the Austrians at Marengo.
2.
To frustrate; to prevent the success of; to disappoint.
Then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 2 Sam. Xv. And xvii.
We say, our dearest hopes are often defeated.
3.
To render null and void; as, to defeat a title or an estate.
4.
To resist with success; as, to defeat an attempt or assault.

Definition 2024


defeat

defeat

English

Verb

defeat (third-person singular simple present defeats, present participle defeating, simple past and past participle defeated)

  1. (transitive) To overcome in battle or contest.
    Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
  2. (transitive) To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
    • Tillotson
      He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
    • A. W. Ward
      In one instance he defeated his own purpose.
  3. To nullify
    • Hallam
      The escheators [] defeated the right heir of his succession.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

defeat (plural defeats)

  1. The act of defeating or being defeated.
    • 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
      Two defeats in five games coming into this contest, and a draw with Everton, ultimately cost Sir Alex Ferguson's side in what became the most extraordinary finale to the league championship since Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield in 1989.

Translations