defeat
4 ENTRIES FOUND:
defeats;
defeated;
defeating
defeats;
defeated;
defeating
Britannica Dictionary definition of DEFEAT
[+ object]
1
:
to win a victory over (someone or something) in a war, contest, game, etc.
-
We lost to their team last year, but this year we're going to defeat [=beat] them.
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We must be ready to defeat our enemies in battle.
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Our candidate defeated him in the last election.
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He defeated his opponent.
2
a
:
to cause (someone or something) to fail
-
She finally found a solution to a problem that had defeated many other researchers.
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The bill was defeated in the state senate.
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It would defeat the purpose of having a nice car if you never got to drive it. [=there would be no reason to have a nice car if you did not drive it]
b
:
to control or overcome (something)
—
see also defeated
-
Scientists from around the world are working to defeat the disease.
2
defeat
/dɪˈfiːt/
noun
plural
defeats
2
defeat
/dɪˈfiːt/
noun
plural
defeats
Britannica Dictionary definition of DEFEAT
1
:
failure to succeed or to win
—
opposite victory
[noncount]
-
We weren't prepared for defeat.
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One small error could make the difference between success and defeat.
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After several tries we were forced to accept/admit/concede defeat.
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The bill suffered defeat [=the bill was defeated] in the state senate.
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Even in defeat [=even when he didn't win], he was a hero to those who loved the sport.
[count]
— usually singular
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The passage of the law represented a defeat for their cause.
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Her basketball team suffered a bitter/crushing/devastating defeat. [=loss]
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That was his first defeat as a professional boxer.
2
[count]
:
the act of winning a victory over someone or something
-
They celebrated their defeat of the enemy.
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their 6–3 defeat of their rivals [=their 6–3 victory over their rivals]
go down to defeat
:
to fail or lose
:
to be defeated
-
The bill went down to defeat in the House.
