desecrate : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: desecrate	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for desecrate
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
desecrate v violate the sacred character of a place or language; "desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the church"; "profane the name of God" Synonym(s): desecrate, profane, outrage, violate remove the consecration from a person or an object Synonym(s): desecrate, unhallow, deconsecrate Antonym(s): bless, consecrate, hallow, sanctify
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Desecrate \Des"ecrate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Desecrated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Desecrating}.] [L. desecratus, p. p. of desecrare (also desacrare) to consecrate, dedicate; but taken in the sense if to divest of a sacred character; de- + sacrare to consecrate, fr. sacer sacred. See {Sacred}.] To divest of a sacred character or office; to divert from a sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate. The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment without being previously desecrated. --W. Tooke. The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those who should desecrate* their donations. --Salmon.