What does "violate" mean?
Violate: To do violence to, as to anything that should be held sacred or respected; to profane; to desecrate; to break forcibly; to trench upon; to infringe. Violated vows 'Twixt the souls of friend and friend. Shak. Oft have they violated The temple, oft the law, with foul affronts. Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.To disturb; to interrupt. "Employed, it seems, to violate sleep." Milton.
- 3.To commit rape on; to ravish; to outrage.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00