Vi"ti*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Vitiated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Vitiating.] [L. vitiatus, p. p. vitiare to vitiate,
fr. vitium a fault, vice. See Vice a fault.] [Written also
viciate.] 1. To make vicious, faulty, or
imperfect; to render defective; to injure the substance or qualities of; to
impair; to contaminate; to spoil; as, exaggeration vitiates a style
of writing; sewer gas vitiates the air.
A will vitiated and growth out of love with the truth
disposes the understanding to error and delusion.
South.
Without care it may be used to vitiate our
minds.
Burke.
This undistinguishing complaisance will vitiate the
taste of readers.
Garth.
2. To cause to fail of effect, either wholly or in
part; to make void; to destroy, as the validity or binding force of an
instrument or transaction; to annul; as, any undue influence exerted on a
jury vitiates their verdict; fraud vitiates a
contract.