# defeat
## English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /dɪˈfiːt/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -iːt

### Etymology 1

From Middle English defeten, from Middle English defet (“disfigured”, past participle) and defet (“defect”, noun), see Etymology 2 below.

#### Verb

defeat (third-person singular simple present defeats, present participle defeating, simple past and past participle defeated)
* (transitive) To overcome in battle or contest.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:defeat
    Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
** 1917, Samuel Couling, “Japanese Relations with China”, in The Encyclopaedia Sinica‎, Literature House, Ltd., published 1964, →OCLC, page 255, column 2:The Japanese defeated the Ming general Tsu Chʻeng-hsün 祖承訓 at Pʻing jang 平壤 in 1592, the first year of Bunroku 文祿 of Japan, and the fighting continued for some years; but at Hideyoshi's death the Japanese troops left Korea.
** 1980 August 1 [1980 May 1], Ching-kuo Chiang, “President Chiang Ching-kuo continues his period of mourning and finds that visits to countryside and people give him renewed strength”, in Taiwan Today‎, archived from the original on 17 May 2020:My personal success or failure is insignificant; the rise or fall of the nation is my responsibility and must not be shirked. Upon introspection, I feel I am firmer than ever in confidence that the Communists will be defeated. These are feelings which will comfort Father's soul in Heaven.
* (transitive) To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
** 1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC:He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
** 1879, Adolphus Ward, “Chaucer”, in English Men of Letters:In one instance he defeated his own purpose.
* (transitive) To nullify
** 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:The escheators […] defeated the right heir of his succession.
* To prevent (something) from being achieved.
** 1962 January, “Motive Power Miscellany: London Midland Region: Central Lines”, in Modern Railways, page 60:The last active L.Y.R. 0-6-0ST (apart from works shunters), No. 51408, has been moved from Bolton to Agecroft for use in New Bailey Yard, Salford, where a sharp 1 in 27 curve is said to have defeated all attempts so far to employ diesel shunters; an ex-L.Y.R. 0-4-0ST also works here.

##### Synonyms

* vanquish, overcome, beat

##### Hyponyms

* conquer (defeat and annex); rout, crush, cream (decisive); shutout, zilch (sports, to defeat without permitting any opposing score)

##### Derived terms

* defeatable
* defeatingly
* defeat the purpose
* redefeat
* self-defeating
* undefeatability
* undefeatable

##### Related terms

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

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

From Middle English defet, from French deffet, desfait, past participle of the verb desfaire (compare modern French défaire), from des- + faire.

#### Noun

defeat (countable and uncountable, plural defeats)
* The act or instance of being defeated, of being overcome or vanquished; a loss.
    Licking their wounds after a temporary defeat, they planned their next move.
** 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.
* The act or instance of defeating, of overcoming, vanquishing.
    The inscription records her defeat of the country's enemies in a costly war.
* Frustration (by prevention of success), stymieing; (law) nullification.
** 1909, The Southern Reporter, page 250:... is subsequently issued to him, in accordance with his perfect equity thus acquired, by a legal fiction which the law creates for the protection, but not for the defeat, of his title.
** 2008, Gene Porter, A Daughter of the Land, volume 1, →ISBN, page 17:She could see no justice in being forced into a position that promised to end in further humiliation and defeat of her hopes.
* (obsolete) Destruction, ruin.
** 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:and made defeat of her virginity

##### Antonyms

* victory

##### Derived terms

* defeatican
* defeatless
* defeatocrat
* snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
* snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
* social defeat

##### Collocations

* admit defeat
* concede defeat
* crushing defeat
* humiliating defeat

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### Anagrams

* feated