Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-FACE', v.t. [Arm. difaçza; de and L. facio; Fr. defaire, to undo or unmake.]

1. To destroy or mar the face or surface of a thing; to injure the superficies or beauty; to disfigure; as, to deface a monument; to deface an edifice.
2. To injure any thing; to destroy, spoil or mar; to erase or obliterate; as, to deface letters or writing; to deface a note, deed or bond; to deface a record.
3. To injure the appearance; to disfigure.