Depraving

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Deprave \De*prave"\ (d[-e]*pr[=a]v"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Depraved} (d[-e]*pr[=a]vd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Depraving}.]
     [L. depravare, depravatum; de- + pravus crooked, distorted,
     perverse, wicked.]
     1. To speak ill of; to depreciate; to malign; to revile.
        [Obs.]


        [1913 Webster]
  
              And thou knowest, conscience, I came not to chide
              Nor deprave thy person with a proud heart. --Piers
                                                    Plowman.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To make bad or worse; to vitiate; to corrupt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Whose pride depraves each other better part.
                                                    --Spenser.
  
     Syn: To corrupt; vitiate; contaminate; pollute.
          [1913 Webster]