Ravish vs Defile - What's the difference?
ravish | defile |
(obsolete, or, archaic) To seize and carry away by violence; to snatch by force.
To transport with joy or delight; to delight to ecstasy.
* {{quote-book
, year=1873
, author=Jules Verne
, title=Around the World in 80 Days
, chapter=9
To rape.
* {{quote-book
, year=1759
, author=Voltaire
, title=Candide
, chapter=8
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.x:
to make impure; to make dirty.
A narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains.
A single file, such as of soldiers.
The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
(archaic) To march in a single file.
* 1979 , Cormac McCarthy, Suttree , Random House, p.138:
march-past
As a verb ravish
is (obsolete|or|archaic) to seize and carry away by violence; to snatch by force.As a noun defile is
fashion show.ravish
English
Verb
(es)citation, passage=Passepartout was ravished to behold this celebrated place, and thought that, with its circular walls and dismantled fort, it looked like an immense coffee-cup and saucer.}}
citation, passage=A tall Bulgarian soldier, six feet high, perceiving that I had fainted away at this sight, attempted to ravish me; the operation brought me to my senses. I cried, I struggled, I bit, I scratched, I would have torn the tall Bulgarian’s eyes out, not knowing that what had happened at my father’s castle was a customary thing.}}
- For loe that Guest would beare her forcibly, / And meant to ravish her, that rather had to dy.
Synonyms
* abripe * (seize and carry away) kidnapDerived terms
* ravishing * ravishmentdefile
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) .Verb
(defil)Synonyms
* contaminate * polluteAntonyms
* purifyEtymology 2
Earlier (defilee), from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)See also
* glenVerb
(defil)- They defiled down a gully to the water and bunched and jerked their noses at it and came back.