vitiate
verb (formal)

- to spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of

- to make faulty

- to debase; corrupt; pervert

- to make legally defective or invalid; invalidate

Oxford Languages / Merriam-Webster / Dictionary(DOT)com

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The noun "vitiate" comes from the Latin verb vitiare which means "to spoil, corrupt, or make defective”. The -ate suffix means "to cause to be" so "vitiate" literally means "to cause to be faulty or corrupt".

Vitium is also the root for the English words "vicious" and "vice”, — it’s related to the Latin vita meaning "life", suggesting vitiating something takes away its vitality or liveliness.

The earliest known use of the verb "vitiate" in English dates back to the mid-16th century, with the first evidence from 1534 in the writing of Thomas More. This is the core meaning it has retained in English since the 16th century.

So while readers may have guessed meanings relating to life or health based on the "vit" sound, the true etymology refers to spoiling, corrupting or rendering something defective or faulty.

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SMALL CRACKS, BIG PROBLEMS

Sayings and quotations and which reflect different aspects or consequences of vitiation:

- "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch." = captures the essence of "vitiate" by showing how purity or effectiveness can be compromised by a single flaw.

- "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9, KJV)  = this biblical saying uses the metaphor of leaven (yeast) to illustrate how a small influence can permeate and alter something much larger, often used in a negative context.

- “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." =  Lord Acton's famous statement reflects on how power can degrade moral integrity, thus vitiating the character of those who wield it.

- "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." = this proverb suggests that intentions alone are not enough and that misguided actions, even if well-intended, can lead to negative outcomes, essentially vitiating the original noble intent.

- "A stitch in time saves nine." = while this saying typically underscores the value of timely intervention to prevent larger problems, it also implies that neglecting small faults can vitiate larger systems or efforts, leading to more extensive damage or degradation.

- "All that glitters is not gold." = this classic saying reminds us that appearances can be deceiving. What appears valuable or good on the surface may, in fact, be worthless or harmful, thereby vitiating the perceived value of something.

- "Too many cooks spoil the broth." = this proverb highlights how having too many people involved in a simple task can lead to confusion and poor outcomes, effectively vitiating the quality of the final product.

- "Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone." = this quotation from Alan Watts suggests that interference can sometimes create more problems than it solves, vitiating natural processes or solutions.

- "If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile." = This saying warns that allowing small liberties or errors can lead to larger abuses or mistakes, effectively vitiating boundaries or rules that were set to maintain order.

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SELECTED SYNONYMS

adulterate, annul, besmirch, blemish, contaminate, corrupt, countermand, defile, degrade, denature, deprave, desecrate, devalue, devitalize, dilute, diminish, disable, dishonor, disqualify, enervate, enfeeble, erode, extinguish, foul up, frustrate, impair, infect, injure, invalidate, mar, muck up, negate, neutralize, nullify, obliterate, overthrow, overturn, pervert, poison, pollute, quash, render imperfect (inoperative), repeal, rescind, rot, ruin, sabotage, scupper, scuttle, screw up, shed a blight on, soil, spoil, stain, subvert, taint, tarnish, throw a monkey wrench into, thwart, undermine, upset, VITIATE, weaken

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“The problem with seafood-diets is that whenever I ‘see food’ I VITIATE my weight-reduction programme!”

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