*vitiat*

n. [ LL. novitiatus: cf. F. noviciat. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The state of being a novice; time of initiation or instruction in rudiments. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: The time of probation in a religious house before taking the vows. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One who is going through a novitiate, or period of probation; a novice. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The place where novices live or are trained. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not vitiated; pure. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A will vitiated and growth out of love with the truth disposes the understanding to error and delusion. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without care it may be used to vitiate our minds. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

This undistinguishing complaisance will vitiate the taste of readers. Garth. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]