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de·feat vt [Anglo-French defait, past participle of defaire to undo, defeat, from Old French deffaire desfaire, from de -, prefix marking reversal of action + faire to do]1 a: to render nullthird parties will defeat an attached but “unperfected” security interest — J. J. White and R. S. Summersb: to prevent or undo the effectiveness or establishment ofdefeat jurisdictiondefendant took stand and defeat ed intoxication defense — National Law Journal2 a: to prevail overb: to thwart the claim ofdefeat creditorsan intent to defeat the surviving spouse of his...elective share — Tennessee Code Annotateddefeat n
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
- defeat
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I
noun
beating, breakdown, collapse, confutation, default, destruction, disappointment, downfall, failure, invalidation, loss, nonfulfillment, overthrow, refutation, repulsa, ruin, ruination, setback, thwarting, undoing, vanquishment
associated concepts: defeat a cause of action, defeat the purpose, defeat the rights, defeated candidate, defeated party
II
verb
beat, block, checkmate, confound, conquer, contravene, crush, demolish, drub, foil, frustrate, gain control over, halt, master, outwit, overcome, overmaster, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, prevail over, put down, quell, refute, rout, smash, squelch, subdue, subjugate, superare, suppress, surmount, thwart, triumph over, trounce, upset, vanquish, vincere, victimize
associated concepts: defeat a cause of action, defeat a will, defeat or impair jurisdiction, defeat the purpose, defeat the rights
III
index
abate (extinguish), abatement (extinguishment), answer (reply), avoid (cancel), balk, circumvent, contravene, controvert, counteract, debacle, failure (lack of success), foil, frustrate, frustration, halt, miscarriage, negate, nonsuit, obliterate, overcome (surmount), override, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, preclude, prevent, prostration, rebuff, refute, rejection, repulse, subdue, subject, subjugate, subversion, subvert, surmount, thwart, upset
Burton's Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006
Look at other dictionaries:
Defeat — De*feat , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Defeated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Defeating}.] [From F. d[ e]fait, OF. desfait, p. p. ofe d[ e]faire, OF. desfaire, to undo; L. dis + facere to do. See {Feat}, {Fact}, and cf. {Disfashion}.] 1. To undo; to disfigure; to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
defeat — [n1] overthrow, beating ambush, annihilation, beating, blow, break, breakdown, check, collapse, conquest, count, debacle, defeasance, destruction, discomfiture, downthrow, drubbing*, embarrassment, extermination, failure, fall, insuccess,… … New thesaurus
Defeat — De*feat , n. [Cf. F. d[ e]faite, fr. d[ e]faire. See {Defeat}, v.] 1. An undoing or annulling; destruction. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Frustration by rendering… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Defeat — may be the opposite of victory Debellatio Surrender (military) usually follows a defeat Defeat, piece by a boy (pseudonym Chris Hughes Davis, real name unknown). See also Defeatism Failure List of military disasters … Wikipedia
defeat — (v.) late 14c., from Anglo Fr. defeter, from O.Fr. desfait, pp. of desfaire to undo, from V.L. *diffacere undo, destroy, from L. dis un , not (see DIS (Cf. dis )) + facere to do, perform (see FACTITIOUS (Cf … Etymology dictionary
defeat — vb beat, *conquer, vanquish, lick, subdue, subjugate, reduce, overcome, surmount, overthrow, rout Analogous words: *frustrate, thwart, foil, baffle, balk, circumvent, outwit deep rooted, Contrasted words: *yield, submit, capitulate, succumb, cave … New Dictionary of Synonyms
defeat — ► VERB 1) win a victory over. 2) prevent from achieving an aim or prevent (an aim) from being achieved. 3) reject or block (a proposal or motion). ► NOUN ▪ an instance of defeating or the state of being defeated. ORIGIN Old French desfaire, from… … English terms dictionary
defeat — [dē fēt′, difēt′] vt. [ME defeten < defet, disfigured, null and void < OFr desfait, pp. of desfaire, to undo < ML disfacere, to deface, ruin < L dis , from + facere, to DO1] 1. to win victory over; overcome; beat 2. to bring to… … English World dictionary
defeat — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ complete, comprehensive (esp. BrE), decisive, heavy, major, overwhelming, resounding, serious, stunning, total … Collocations dictionary
defeat — de|feat1 W3 [dıˈfi:t] n [U and C] 1.) failure to win or succeed ▪ She was a woman who hated to admit defeat . ▪ The Democratic Party candidate has already conceded defeat . defeat in ▪ The socialist party suffered a crushing defeat in the French… … Dictionary of contemporary English