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Bible Encyclopedias
Defile
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
or a military expression for a passage, to march through which troops are compelled to "defile," or narrow their front (from the Fr. defiler, to march in a line, or by "files"). The word is usually applied to a ravine or gorge in a range of hills, but a causeway over a river, a bridge and even a village may equally be called a defile. The term is also used to express, without any special reference to military operations, a gorge in mountains. The verb "to defile" is used of troops marching on a narrow front, or narrowing their front, under all circumstances, and in this sense is the contrary of "deploy." "Defile," in the sense of "pollute," is another form of "defoul"; though spelt alike, the two words are pronounced differently, the accent being on the first syllable for the former, and on the second for the latter.
These files are public domain.
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Defile'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/d/defile.html. 1910.
