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Defeat vs Flaw - What's the difference?

defeat | flaw |

In lang=en terms the difference between defeat and flaw

is that defeat is to reduce, to nothing, the strength of while flaw is to become imperfect or defective.

As verbs the difference between defeat and flaw

is that defeat is to overcome in battle or contest while flaw is to add a flaw to, to make imperfect or defective.

As nouns the difference between defeat and flaw

is that defeat is the act of defeating or being defeated while flaw is (obsolete) a flake, fragment, or shiver or flaw can be a sudden burst or gust of wind of short duration.

defeat

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To overcome in battle or contest.
    • Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
  • 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.
  • To nullify
  • * Hallam
    • The escheators defeated the right heir of his succession.

    Synonyms

    (To overcome in contest) * beat * conquer * overthrow * rout * vanquish

    Related terms

    * defeasance * defeasible * defeater * defeatism * defeatist * defeature

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of defeating or being defeated.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 13 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=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.}}

    flaw

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) flawe, .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A flake, fragment, or shiver.
  • (obsolete) A thin cake, as of ice.
  • A crack or breach, a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion.
    • There is a flaw in that knife.
    That vase has a flaw .
  • * Shakespeare
    • This heart / Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws .
  • A defect, fault, or imperfection, especially one that is hidden.
  • * South
    • Has not this also its flaws and its dark side?
  • A defect or error in a contract or other document which may make the document invalid.
    • a flaw in a will, in a deed, or in a statute
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * tragic flaw

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To add a flaw to, to make imperfect or defective.
  • To become imperfect or defective.

    • Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sudden burst or gust of wind of short duration.
  • * Milton
    • Snow, and hail, and stormy gust and flaw .
  • * Tennyson
    • Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn.
  • A storm of short duration.
  • A sudden burst of noise and disorder; a tumult; uproar; a quarrel.
  • * Dryden
    • And deluges of armies from the town / Came pouring in; I heard the mighty flaw .

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