defeat

Etymology

From Old French desfait, from the verb desfaire (compare modern French défaire), from des- + faire, or possibly from Vulgar Latin disfaciō, disfacere (“unmake”), from Latin dis- + faciō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈfiːt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːt

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. (transitive) To nullify
   • Hallam

     The escheators […] defeated the right heir of his succession.

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.

Anagrams

• feated