Part 100

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Mortgages were usually made in this manner in former times, but the modern practice is to include the conveyance and the defeasance in the same deed.

De*fea"sanced (?), a. (Law) Liable to defeasance; capable of being made void or forfeited.

De*fea"si*ble (?), a. [See Defeasance.] Capable of being annulled or made void; as, a defeasible title. -- De*fea"si*ble*ness, n.

De*feat" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Defeated; p. pr. & vb. n. Defeating.] [From F. défait, OF. desfait, p. p. ofe défaire, OF. desfaire, to undo; L. dis- + facere to do. See Feat, Fact, and cf. Disfashion.] 1. To undo; to disfigure; to destroy. [Obs.]

His unkindness may defeat my life.

Shak.

2. To render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate.

He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.

Tillotson.

The escheators . . . defeated the right heir of his succession.

Hallam.

In one instance he defeated his own purpose.

A. W. Ward.

3. To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow.

4. To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault.

Sharp reasons to defeat the law.

Shak.

Syn. -- To baffle; disappoint; frustrate.

De*feat", n. [Cf. F. défaite, fr. défaire. See Defeat, v.] 1. An undoing or annulling; destruction. [Obs.]

Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made.

Shak.

2. Frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design.

3. An overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; -- opposed to victory.

De*fea"ture (?; 135), n. [OF. desfaiture a killing, disguising, prop., an undoing. See Defeat, and cf. Disfeature.] 1. Overthrow; defeat. [Obs.] "Nothing but loss in their defeature." Beau. & Fl.

2. Disfigurement; deformity. [Obs.] "Strange defeatures in my face." Shak.

De*fea"tured (?; 135), p. p. Changed in features; deformed. [R.]

Features when defeatured in the . . . way I have described.