violate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To break a law, rule, agreement, or promise.

   The company violated several safety regulations.

2. 2
   verb

   To disturb or fail to respect someone's rights or privacy.

   Reading her diary violated her privacy.

3. 3
   verb

   To force someone to have sex against their will; to rape.

   The man was convicted of violating a young woman.

4. 4
   verb

   To treat a sacred or respected place without respect.

   The vandals violated the ancient temple.

From Middle English violaten (“to defile, render impure”), from violat(e) (“defiled, desecrated”, also used as the past participle of violaten) + -en, borrowed from Latin violātus, perfect passive participle of violō (“to treat with violence (whether bodily or mental)”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Ultimately from vīs (“strength, power, force, violence”).

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