Also 6–8 viciat(e, 7 vitiat, vitiatt. [f. L. vitiāt- (med.L. also viciāt-), ppl. stem of vitiāre (whence It. viziare, Sp. and Pg. viciar, F. vicier), f. vitium VICE sb.1 Cf. prec.]
1. trans. To render incomplete, imperfect or faulty; to impair or spoil.
1534. More, Treat. Passion, Wks. 1303/1. Hym must we serue, though specially wyth the mynde (whych if it be not good, viciateth all together) yet … also wyth body and goodes and al.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., Matt. v. 16 (1640), 82. A superstitious end, or a seditious end vitiates the best worke.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 453. Other Advices were prefer’d, which … do many times vitiate, if not ruine, the most noble and valiant Undertakings.
1678. Barclay, Apol. Quakers, vii. § 2. 197. This Doctrine of Justification hath been, and is greatly vitiated in the Church of Rome.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 25, ¶ 5. A continual Anxiety for Life vitiates all the Relishes of it, and casts a Gloom over the whole Face of Nature.
1738. Warburton, Div. Legat., I. 166. Time, which naturally and fatally viciates and depraves all things.
1794. Hutton, Philos. Light, etc., 124. It would only lead us into error, and thus vitiate the science or philosophy in which it were employed.
1808. J. Haslam, Observ. Madness & Mel., i. (1809), 31. It might be urged, that in these instances, the perception was vitiated.
1851. Nichol, Archit. Heav. (ed. 9), 60. Considering that a deviation from truth by the fraction of a hairbreadth, would vitiate the figure.
b. To corrupt (a) literary works or (b) language by carelessness, arbitrary changes, or the introduction of foreign elements.
(a) 1659. Bp. Walton, Consid. Considered, 198. The Septuagint … which we now have is the same for substance with that anciently used, though … by the injury of time, and frequent transcriptions vitiated.
1788. Reid, Aristotle’s Logic, i. § 1. 5. There is reason to doubt whether what [works] are his be not much vitiated and interpolated.
(b) 1690. Temple, Ess., Poetry, Wks. 1720, I. 243. Whereever the Roman Colonies had remained, and their Language had been generally spoken, the common People used that still, but vitiated with the base Allay of their Provincial Speech.
1742. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit. (ed. 3), III. 4. It is observable, that the Normans could not well pronounce Lincoln, but vitiated it to Nichol.
1756. Johnson, Dict., Pref. Many barbarous terms and phrases, by which other dictionaries may vitiate the style, are rejected from this.
1790. ‘I. Cassander’ (J. Bruckner), Crit. [Tooke’s] Purley, 55. Those who consider how much the language had been vitiated at the time they lived, by the importation of foreign words.
2. To render corrupt in morals; to deprave in respect of principles or conduct; to lower the moral standard of (persons).
1534. More, Treat. Passion, Wks. 1311/2. We shulde note well and marke thereby, that the vice of a vicious personne, viciateth not the company or congregacion.
1658–9. in Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 59. This will not vitiate persons, but your nature and your posterity.
1682. Burnet, Rights Princes, Pref. 13. Mankind is not so vitiated with prejudice.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 177, ¶ 12. The suppression of those habits with which I was vitiated.
1770. Junius Lett., xxxvii. (1788), 199. If any part of the representative body be not chosen by the people, that part vitiates and corrupts the whole.
1853. C. L. Brace, Home Life Germany, 258. In 1806, the army had become thoroughly vitiated by luxury.
1880. E. Kirke, Garfield, 55. In short, he had only one fault, but that was radical, and in the end, vitiated the whole man. He was thoroughly selfish.
b. Similarly with impersonal objects.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., V. v. (1886), 80. He being a spirit, may with Gods leave and ordinance viciat and corrupt the spirit and will of man.
1598. Marston, Pygmal., Sat. ii. Many spots my mind doth vitiate.
1634. Habington, Castara, Pref. (Arb.), 12. I encounter’d there … Innocencie,… not vitiated by conversation with the world.
1675. Traherne, Chr. Ethics, 324. So doth one vice cherished and allowed corrupt and viciate all the vertues in the whole world.
1714. R. Fiddes, Pract. Disc., II. 93. Sufferings vitiate the best tempers.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 172, ¶ 2. Many vitiate their principles in the acquisition of riches.
1837. Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., III. 263. The encouragement of an amusement which does seem to be vitiated there.
1847. Hamilton, Rewards & Punishm., viii. (1853), 362. One sin of youth vitiates a protracted life.
1861. Mill, Utilit., i. 4. To what extent the moral beliefs of mankind have been vitiated … by the absence of any distinct recognition of an ultimate standard.
c. To pervert (the eye, taste, etc.), so as to lead to false judgments or preferences.
1806. A. Hunter, Culina (ed. 3), 120. Stomachs may be so far vitiated as to lose all relish for plain roast, or boiled meat.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, etc., ii. 103. This practice has such a tendency to vitiate the eye and to mislead the mind.
1845. McCulloch, Taxation, I. vi. (1852), 245. It had the mischievous effect of vitiating the public taste and stimulating the consumption of ardent spirits.
† 3. To deflower or violate (a woman). Obs.
1547–50. [see Vitiating vbl. sb.].
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., I. 35. Till she returned into her owne naturall forme, in which he vitiated her, and of her begat Achilles.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 49. This beutious Maid [Venice] hath bin often attempted to be vitiated.
1675. Baxter, Cath. Theol., I. 107. Being not … moved by him (as David to murder Urias, and to vitiate his wife).
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 198, ¶ 8. He confessed his Marriage, and his placing his Companion on Purpose to vitiate his Wife.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 81. It was a felony and attended with a forfeiture of the fief, if the vasal vitiated the wife or daughter of his lord.
1791. Burke, Let. Member Nat. Assembly, Wks. VI. 36. Pedagogues, who betray the most awful family trusts, and vitiate their female pupils.
4. To corrupt or spoil in respect of substance; to make bad, impure or defective.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes Buckstone, 15. For blood is the treasure of lyfe, not viciated.
1599. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1632), 103. As a dead Flie doth vitiate a whole boxe of sweet oyntment.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 125. Euen as women in their monthly courses doe vitiat their looking-glasses.
1652. L. S., People’s Liberty, iii. 6. As much water cannot so soon be viciated as a lesser quantity.
1674. R. Godfrey, Inj. & Ab. Physic, 33. The very texture of his Stomach and other vital bowels was vitiated.
1759. Mills, trans. Duhamel’s Husb., I. xvi. 93. Farmers distinguish the wheat thus vitiated by saying that it is blacked in the point.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 465. When the saliva is vitiated,… the curing of the disorder is the cure of this symptom.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, xxxiv. The oncoming of a malady that has permanently vitiated the sight.
1882. Med. Temp. Jrnl., No. 52. 177. As I shall endeavour to show you, it vitiates the blood.
b. esp. To render (air) impure and so inadequate for, or injurious to, life.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 34. The ill Humours which go out of their Bodies … vitiate the Air more and more.
1793. Beddoes, Consump., 137. Only a very small portion of the air was vitiated, i.e. converted into fixed air.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 118. The impurity of the air vitiated by respiration.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 84. This gas would unduly accumulate, and … vitiate the entire bulk of the atmosphere.
5. To render of no effect; to invalidate either completely or in part; spec. to destroy or impair the legal effect or force of (a deed, etc.).
1621. Sanderson, Serm., I. 170. An earthly judge is subject to misprision, mis-information, partiality, corruption, and sundry infirmities that may vitiate his proceedings.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 104. A Transposition of the Order of the Sacramental Words, does, in some Mens Opinion, vitiate Baptism.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 37. If all the absurd theories of lawyers and divines were to vitiate the objects in which they are conversant, we should have no law, and no religion left in the world.
1827. Jarman, Powell’s Devises, II. 21. If an undefined portion of a bequest is to be applied to a purpose void by the statute, it vitiates the whole.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, XII. xxvii. I told them flatly … that, as Mr. Egerton’s agent, I would allow no proceedings that might vitiate the election.
1883. Law Rep., 11 Q. B. Div. 568. The plaintiff is engaged in carrying out the illegal objects of the association;… and this circumstance alone vitiates the contract for repayment.
b. To render (an argument, etc.) inconclusive or unsatisfactory.
1748. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. iii. § 1. 308. This will not vitiate the foregoing Conjectures.
1846. Mill, Logic, I. v. § 3. The theory of that intellectual process has been vitiated by the influence of these erroneous notions.
1866. Herschel, Fam. Lect. Sci. (1867), 73. His proof is vitiated by an enormous oversight: and the thing … is a physical impossibility.
1878. Stewart & Tait, Unseen Univ., ii. § 84. 94. It is this eternity of atom which vitiates the hypothesis.
† 6. a. To adulterate. Obs.–1
1728. Sheridan, trans. Persius, ii. (1739), 35. It was Luxury first made us vitiate our Oyl with Cassia.
† b. To alter feloniously. Obs.–1
1753. Scots Mag., Aug., 420/1. And William Taylor, for vitiating a bank-note.
Hence Vitiating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1547. Hooper, Declar. Christ & Office, xii. L viij. The deathe of his chyldre, the conspyricie of Absolon, the uiciating of his wiues.
a. 1550. Leland, Itin. (1769), V. 21. The Collegiate Chirch … was translatid to Aberguili for vitiating of a Maide.
1647. Clarendon, Contempl. Ps., Tracts (1727), 392. The yielding to every corrupt affection and passion is as great a vitiating and weakening of the mind.
1669. Boyle, Cert. Physiol. Ess., etc. (ed. 2), Absol. Rest Bodies, 27. Finding its passage obstructed (and perchance almost quite hindered) by the vitiating of the Pores of the Glass.
1858. J. Martineau, Stud. Chr., 275. A certain vitiating unsoundness of mind.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xxix. No man can escape this vitiating effect of an offence against his own sentiment of right.
