defeature

¹

[ dih-fee-cher ]

noun

, Archaic.

1. disfigurement.

defeature

²

[ dih-fee-cher ]

noun

, Obsolete.

1. defeat; ruin.

Word History and Origins

Origin of defeature¹

First recorded in 1580–90; de- + feature

Origin of defeature²

First recorded in 1580–90; defeat + -ure

Example Sentences

Zeus had wrought the maid dishonour; And to hide her from his spouse, Working foul defeature on her, Changed her fair form to a cow's.

From Project Gutenberg

Even had we, however, a perfect and trustworthy transcript of Shakespeare’s original sketch for this play, there can be little doubt that the rough draught would still prove almost as different from the final masterpiece as is the soiled and ragged canvas now before us, on which we trace the outline of figures so strangely disfigured, made subject to such rude extremities of defacement and defeature. 

From Project Gutenberg

A spotless leaf but thought, and care— And friends, and foes, in foul or fair, Have "written strange defeature" there.

From Project Gutenberg

How far those may be to blame who, righteously disgusted, cast the idea from them, nor make inquiry whether something in it may not be true, though most must be false, neither grant it any claim to investigation on the chance that some that call themselves his prophets may have taken spiritual bribes           To mingle beauty with infirmities,           And pure perfection with impure defeature— how far those may be to blame, it is not my work to inquire.

From Project Gutenberg

Poetry, Fable, History, watch over the land: it is a sepulchre; Death is within and around it; Decay writes defeature upon every stone; but the Past sits by the tomb as a mourning angel; a soul breathes through the desolation; a voice calls amidst the silence.

From Project Gutenberg