▪ I. † deˈfoil, v.1 Obs.
Also 7 deffoile, diff-.
[ad. F. défeuille-r, in 13th c. des-, deffueiller, f. des-, dé- (de- I. 6) + feuille leaf. Cf. med.L. dēfoliāre.]
trans. To strip of leaves; = defoliate v.
| 1601 Holland Pliny xvii. xxii, In disburgening and defoiling a vine. Ibid., How much thereof must be diffoiled. Ibid., It is not the manner to disburgen or deffoile altogether such trees. |
▪ II. defoil, v.2
To trample down, crush, oppress, violate, defile: see defoul v.
▪ III. defoil n.
var. form of defoul n.