deface
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++de·face /dɪˈfeɪs/ verb [transitive] DAMAGEto spoil the surface or appearance of something, especially by writing on it or breaking it 损坏〔某物〕的表面[外观]，污损 Most of the monuments had been broken or defaced. 大多数纪念碑都被破坏或遭污损。► see thesaurus at damage —defacement noun [uncountable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
deface• There was a bust of Miguel de Unamuno at the bottom of the staircase, and it seemed to have been defaced.• If somebody entered the National Gallery and defaced a Gainsborough they would be prosecuted.• We are not free to deface and destroy the natural world.• Several of the gravestones had been defaced and were impossible to read.• The Central Bank issued a statement warning against defacing bank notes with what it called "indecent expressions".• That kid you got to quit defacing buildings and paint the chapel?• Several office buildings were defaced by graffiti.• They clutter streets, smother blocks of flats and deface many homes.• An attendant warned us not to deface public property.• The Blitz and glamour had defaced the Gospel.• Public School 45 is closed, the windows boarded up, the walls defaced with graffiti.de·face verbChineseSyllable
surface especially by of to appearance Corpus something, or the spoil
deface
de‧face /dɪˈfeɪs/
verb [transitive]
to spoil the surface or appearance of something, especially by writing on it or breaking it:
Most of the monuments had been broken or defaced.
—defacement noun [uncountable]
▪ damage to cause physical harm to something or someone, or have a bad effect on them: Several buildings were damaged by the earthquake. | The other car wasn’t damaged. | The scandal could damage his career.
▪harm to have a bad effect on something: They use chemicals that will harm the environment. | The oil crisis could harm the economy.
▪spoil to have a bad effect on something and make it less successful, enjoyable, useful etc: We didn’t let the rain spoil our holiday. | Local people say the new buildings will spoil the view.
▪vandalize to deliberately damage buildings, vehicles, or public property: All the public telephones in the area had been vandalized.
▪sabotage /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ to secretly damage machines or equipment so that they cannot be used, especially in order to harm an enemy: There is evidence that the airplane was sabotaged.
▪tamper with something to deliberately and illegally damage or change a part of something in order to prevent it from working properly: The car’s brakes had been tampered with.
▪desecrate to damage a church or other holy place: The church had been desecrated by vandals.
▪deface /dɪˈfeɪs/ to deliberately spoil the appearance of something by writing on it, spraying paint on it etc: Someone had defaced the statue and painted it bright orange.
de‧face /dɪˈfeɪs/
verb [transitive]to spoil the surface or appearance of something, especially by writing on it or breaking it:
—defacement noun [uncountable]
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