Vi'ti-āte, v. t.

(vĭsh'ĭ-āt, 95), v. t. [imp. & p. p. VITIATED; p. pr. & vb. n. VITIATING.] [Lat. vitiare, vitiatum, from vitium, a fault, vice, It. vitiare, Pr., Sp., & Pg. viciar, Fr. vicier.] [Also vitiate.] 1. To make vicious, faulty, or imperfect; to render defective; to injure the substance or qualities of; to impair; to spoil. A will vitiated and grown out of love with the truth disposes the understanding to error and delusion. South. Without care it may be used to vitiate our minds. Burke. This undistinguishing complaisance will vitiate the taste of readers. Garth. 2. To cause to fail of effect, wholly or in part; to make void; to destroy, as the validity or binding force of an instrument or transaction; as, any undue influence exerted on a jury vitiates their verdict; fraud vitiates a contract.