Adulterating - English meaning

verb

Change (something) in such a way as to lower its quality or value, typically by adding new elements.

Usage examples:

Our biggest fear was they were going to take our script and bastardize it

verb

To change something in a way that makes it fail to represent the values and qualities that it is intended to represent

verb

Make (something) impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance.

Usage examples:

The site was found to be contaminated by radioactivity

verb

To make something less pure or make it poisonous

Usage examples:

The disease can be caused by a variety of viruses, bacteria, and other small organisms that contami…

verb

To make something less pure or make it poisonous

Usage examples:

The government recently reported that 10% of farmland has been destroyed by pollution and that heav…

adjective

Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

Unscrupulous logging companies assisted by corrupt officials

verb

Cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

There is a continuing fear of firms corrupting politicians in the search for contracts

adjective

Dishonest and willing to use your position or power to your own advantage, esp. for money

Usage examples:

It’s been called the most politically corrupt city in the nation., your philosophy is corrupt., pol…

verb

Make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp-edged tool or object.

Usage examples:

He cut his toe on a sharp stone

noun

A stroke or blow given by a sharp-edged implement or by a whip or cane.

Usage examples:

He could skin an animal with a single cut of the knife

verb

Separate with or as if with an instrument

verb

Reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade.

Usage examples:

The love episodes debase the dignity of the drama

verb

To reduce in quality or value

Usage examples:

Television is often blamed for debasing american politics.

verb

Damage the purity or appearance of; mar or spoil.

Usage examples:

The land was defiled by a previous owner

noun

A steep-sided narrow gorge or passage (originally one requiring troops to march in single file).

Usage examples:

The twisting track wormed its way up a defile to level ground

verb

(of troops) march in single file.

Usage examples:

We emerged after defiling through the mountainsides

verb

Treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect.

Usage examples:

She thought that many supposedly erotic pictures degraded women

verb

To reduce the quality of something

Usage examples:

Degrading water/air quality, degraded sound quality, the state is funding projects to restore degra…

verb

To become worse in quality, or to make something worse

Usage examples:

Unlike with a cassette player, the sound of the mp3 player doesn't degrade as the battery weakens.

verb

Make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent to it.

Usage examples:

Bleach can be diluted with cold water

adjective

(of a liquid) made thinner or weaker by having had water or another solvent added to it.

Usage examples:

The water turnover rates of hummingbirds feeding on dilute nectar are more similar to those of amph…

verb

To make a liquid weaker by mixing it with water or another liquid

Usage examples:

Dilute the bleach in water before adding it to the wash., he disinfected the tub with a solution of…

noun

A person who is qualified to treat people who are ill.

Usage examples:

Doctor thornhill

verb

Change the content or appearance of (a document or picture) in order to deceive; falsify.

Usage examples:

The reports could have been doctored

noun

A person with a medical degree whose job is to treat people who are ill or injured

Usage examples:

This health plan lets you choose your own doctor., he claimed the photo had been doctored.

noun

A drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially cannabis.

Usage examples:

My dad caught me smoking dope

verb

Administer drugs to (a racehorse, greyhound, or athlete) in order to enhance or inhibit sporting performance.

Usage examples:

The horse was doped before the race

adjective

Administer drugs to (a racehorse, greyhound, or athlete) in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance.

Usage examples:

The horse was doped before the race

adjective

Offensive to the senses, especially through having a disgusting smell or taste or being dirty.

Usage examples:

A foul odour

noun

(in sport) an unfair or invalid stroke or piece of play, especially one involving interference with an opponent.

Usage examples:

The midfielder was booked for a foul on ford

adverb

Contrary to the rules; unfairly.

Usage examples:

That's the real problem: even guys who want to play fair are under pressure from cheaters to play f…

noun

A fine open fabric of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns and used especially for trimming garments.

Usage examples:

A dress trimmed in white lace

verb

Fasten or tighten (a shoe or garment) by tying the laces.

Usage examples:

He put the shoes on and laced them up

noun

A decorative cloth that is made by weaving thin thread into delicate patterns having small spaces within them

Usage examples:

A lace curtain/handkerchief, your laces are untied., she laced her boots.

verb

Combine or put together to form one substance or mass.

Usage examples:

Peppercorns are sometimes mixed with other spices

noun

Two or more different qualities, things, or people placed, combined, or considered together.

Usage examples:

The decor is a fascinating mix of antique and modern

verb

To combine different substances, esp. so that the result cannot easily be separated into its parts, or to cause different substances to combine in this way

Usage examples:

[ i ] oil and water don’t mix., [ t ] mix two eggs into the flour., [ t ] he mixed the blue paint w…

verb

Contaminate (water, the air, etc.) with harmful or poisonous substances.

Usage examples:

The explosion polluted the town with dioxin

Contaminate; make impure

verb

To make air, water, or earth dirty or harmful to people, animals, and plants, esp. by adding harmful chemicals or waste

Usage examples:

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are polluting the groundwater., maybe there’s some kind of chem…

noun

A thin, pointed piece of metal, wood, or another rigid material.

Usage examples:

The spikes dug into the thin material of the bags, and dirt began to leak out.

verb

Impale on or pierce with a sharp point.

Usage examples:

She spiked another oyster

noun

A flower cluster formed of many flower heads attached directly to a long stem.

Usage examples:

This handsome plant has striking blue flowers in a spike on the stem

verb

Diminish or destroy the value or quality of.

Usage examples:

I wouldn't want to spoil your fun

noun

Goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place.

Usage examples:

The looters carried their spoils away

verb

To destroy or damage something, or to become destroyed or damaged

Usage examples:

[ t ] the oil spill spoiled five miles of coastline., [ t ] don’t tell me how it ends, you’ll spoil…

verb

Damage the purity or integrity of.

Usage examples:

They were outraged that anyone should sully their good name

verb

To spoil something that is pure or someone's perfect reputation

Usage examples:

His reputation, he said, had been unfairly sullied by half-truths and innuendos., no speck of dirt …

noun

A trace of a bad or undesirable substance or quality.

Usage examples:

The lingering taint of creosote

verb

Contaminate or pollute (something).

Usage examples:

The air was tainted by fumes from the cars

noun

The perineum.

verb

Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.

Usage examples:

Development programmes have been vitiated by the rise in population

verb

To destroy or damage something

Usage examples:

He said that american military power should never again be vitiated by political concerns.

verb

Make or become weaker in power, resolve, or physical strength.

Usage examples:

Fault lines had weakened and shattered the rocks

verb

To make or become weak or weaker

Usage examples:

[ i ] the country’s economy continues to weaken., [ t ] long exposure to vibration can weaken aircr…

verb

To become or make something or someone become less powerful, successful, effective, etc.

Usage examples:

A series of scandals weakened investor confidence., the plan has divided the country and weakened t…