v. To practice sophistry; change the meaning of, or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive
v. To alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive
v. To make more complex or refined
adj. Adulterated; not pure; not genuine.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
v. To render worthless by admixture; to adulterate; to damage; to pervert.
adj. Adulterated; not pure; not genuine.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
To make sophistical; involve in sophistry; clothe or obscure with fallacies; falsify.
To overcome or delude by sophistry; hence, to pervert; mislead.
To adulterate; render impure by admixture.
To deprive of simplicity; subject to the methods or influence of art.
To alter without authority and without notice, whether to deceive the reader or hearer, or to make a fancied improvement or correction; alter, as a text or the spelling of a word, in order to support a preconceived opinion of what it was or should be.
To use sophistry; deal sophistically.
Perverted; corrupt.
Adulterated; impure; hence, not genuine; spurious.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
v. alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive
v. practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive
v. make more complex or refined
v. make less natural or innocent
n. a worldly-wise person
Word Usage
"First zee schulle wel knowe, that the naturelle bawme is fulle cleer, and of cytrine colour, and stronge smellynge; and zif it be thykke, or reed or blak, it is sophisticate, that is to seyne, contrefeted and made lyke it, for disceyt."