desecrate
American Heritage Dictionary:
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des·e·crate
(dĕs'ĭ-krāt') 
tr.v., -crat·ed, -crat·ing, -crates.
To violate the sacredness of; profane.
desecration des'e·cra'tion n.
tr.v., -crat·ed, -crat·ing, -crates.
To violate the sacredness of; profane.
[DE- + (CON)SECRATE.]
desecrater des'e·crat'er or des'e·cra'tor n.desecration des'e·cra'tion n.
Word Overheard by Answers.com:
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desecrate
The word desecrate — to violate something sacred — was in the news as a result of an unsubstantiated Newsweek report in May 2005 that interrogators at the US naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, tried to make terror suspects talk by desecrating the holy book of Islam, the Koran. The report sparked deadly violence in Afghanistan.
Link: Newsweek Retracts Story on Quran Abuse
Posted May 17, 2005.
See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words. 
Roget's Thesaurus:
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desecrate
verb
- To spoil or mar the sanctity of: defile, pollute, profane, violate. See clean/dirty, religion, sacred/profane.
Antonyms by Answers.com:
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desecrate
v
Definition: abuse, violate
Antonyms: honor, praise, sanctify
Word Tutor:
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desecrate
IN BRIEF: To treat disrespectfully or irreverently.
There is no happiness in life and there is no misery like that growing out of the dispositions which consecrate or desecrate a home.
— Edwin Hubble Chapin.
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Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'desecrate'
- Blame, Censure, Ridicule, and Contempt - desecrate: (vb) treat irreverently or contemptuously; profane that which is sacred
- Violent Actions - desecrate: treat without respect
See crossword solutions for the clue Translations:
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Desecrate
Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - vanhellige, ophæve hellighed af
Nederlands (Dutch)
ontheiligen
Français (French)
v. tr. - défigurer, profaner, souiller
Deutsch (German)
v. - entweihen, schänden
Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - βεβηλώνω, (ιερο)συλώ
Português (Portuguese)
v. - profanar
Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - profanar, tratar con sacrilegio
Svenska (Swedish)
v. - vanhelga
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
供俗用, 污辱, 亵渎
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 供俗用, 污辱, 褻瀆
한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~의 신성을 오염시키다
日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 神聖を汚す, 俗用に供する
العربيه (Arabic)
(فعل) يدنس, ينتهك قدسيه شئ
עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - חילל
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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