Hypertext Webster Gateway: "desecrate"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Desecrate \Des"e*crate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Desecrated}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Desecrating}.] [L. desecratus, p. p. of
desecrare (also desacrare) to consecrate, dedicate; but taken
in the sense if to divest of a sacred character; de- +
sacrare to consecrate, fr. sacer sacred. See {Sacred}.]
To divest of a sacred character or office; to divert from a
sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to
put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate.
The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment
without being previously desecrated. --W. Tooke.
The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those
who should desecrate their donations. --Salmon.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
desecrate
v 1: violate the sacred character of a place, such as a graveyard
[syn: {profane}, {outrage}, {violate}]
2: remove the consecration from a person or an object [syn: {deconsecrate}]
[ant: {consecrate}]
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