purifying
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pu·ri·fy
(pyo͝or′ə-fī′)tr.v. pu·ri·fied, pu·ri·fy·ing, pu·ri·fies
1. To rid of impurities: purify water.
2. To rid of foreign or objectionable elements: tried to purify the party of its dissenters.
3. To free from moral or spiritual defilement: rituals to purify the soul.
[Middle English purifien, from Old French purifier, from Latin pūrificāre : pūrus, clean; see pure + -ficāre, -fy.]
pu·rif′i·ca·to′ry (pyo͝o-rĭf′ĭ-kə-tôr′ē) adj.
pu′ri·fi′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Adj. | 1. | purifying - serving to purge or rid of sin; "purgatorial rites" |
| 2. | purifying - freeing from noxious matter; "filtration is a purifying agent" adulterant, adulterating - making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials; "the adulterating effect of extraneous materials" | |
| 3. | purifying - acting like an antiseptic antiseptic - thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms; "doctors in antiseptic green coats"; "the antiseptic effect of alcohol"; "it is said that marjoram has antiseptic qualities" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.