'Vitiate' definitions:

Definition of 'vitiate'

(from WordNet)
verb
Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" [syn: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect]
verb
Make imperfect; "nothing marred her beauty" [syn: mar, impair, spoil, deflower, vitiate]
verb
Take away the legal force of or render ineffective; "invalidate a contract" [syn: invalidate, void, vitiate] [ant: validate]

Definition of 'Vitiate'

From: GCIDE
  • Vitiate \Vi"ti*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vitiated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vitiating.] [L. vitiatus, p. p. vitiare to vitiate, fr. vitium a fault, vice. See Vice a fault.] [Written also viciate.]
  • 1. To make vicious, faulty, or imperfect; to render defective; to injure the substance or qualities of; to impair; to contaminate; to spoil; as, exaggeration vitiates a style of writing; sewer gas vitiates the air. [1913 Webster]
  • A will vitiated and growth out of love with the truth disposes the understanding to error and delusion. --South. [1913 Webster]
  • Without care it may be used to vitiate our minds. --Burke. [1913 Webster]
  • This undistinguishing complaisance will vitiate the taste of readers. --Garth. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To cause to fail of effect, either wholly or in part; to make void; to destroy, as the validity or binding force of an instrument or transaction; to annul; as, any undue influence exerted on a jury vitiates their verdict; fraud vitiates a contract. [1913 Webster]

Words containing 'Vitiate'