Defeat

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. An undoing or annulling; destruction. [Obs.] Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Shak.

2. Frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design.

3. An overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; -- opposed to victory.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To undo; to disfigure; to destroy. [Obs.] His unkindness may defeat my life. Shak.

2. To render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate. He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes. Tillotson. The escheators . . . defeated the right heir of his succession. Hallam. In one instance he defeated his own purpose. A. W. Ward.

3. To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow.

4. To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault. Sharp reasons to defeat the law. Shak.

Synonyms: baffle; disappoint; frustrate.