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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Defeat

De-fēat', n.

noun

n. [Fr. défaite, from défaire, to undo, from dé, for des, equivalent to Lat. dis, and faire, Lat. facere, to make or do; L. Lat. defacere, defacere, diffacere. Cf. O. Fr. defeat, decayed, destroyed.] 1. An undoing or annulling; destruction. [Obs.] Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Shak.

  1. An overthrow, as of an attack, an army, &c.; repulse suffered; rout. “A defeat like that of Culloden.” Bancroft.
  2. Frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design.

De-feat', v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. DEFEATED; p. pr. & vb. n. DEFEATING.]

Sense 1. To render null and void, as a title; to make defeasance of, as an estate; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive of.

The escheators . . . defeated the right heir of his succession. Hallam.

Sense 2. To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow.

Sense 3. To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault. “Sharp reasons to defeat the law.” Shak.

Synonyms—To baffle; disappoint; frustrate. See BAFFLE.