From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Violate \Vi"o*late\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Violates; p. pr. &
vb. n. Violating.] [L. violatus, p. p. of violare to
violate, fr. vis strength, force. See Violent.]
1. To treat in a violent manner; to abuse.
[1913 Webster]
His wife Boadicea violated with stripes, his
daughters with rape. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. To do violence to, as to anything that should be held
sacred or respected; to profane; to desecrate; to break
forcibly; to trench upon; to infringe.
[1913 Webster]
Violated vows
'Twixt the souls of friend and friend. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Oft have they violated
The temple, oft the law, with foul affronts.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
3. To disturb; to interrupt. "Employed, it seems, to violate
sleep." --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
4. To commit rape on; to ravish; to outrage.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To injure; disturb; interrupt; infringe; transgress;
profane; deflour; debauch; dishonor.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
violate
v 1: fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or
patterns; "This sentence violates the rules of syntax"
[syn: violate, go against, break] [ant: conform to]
2: act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises;
"offend all laws of humanity"; "violate the basic laws or
human civilization"; "break a law"; "break a promise" [syn:
transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against,
breach, break] [ant: keep, observe]
3: destroy; "Don't violate my garden"; "violate my privacy"
4: violate the sacred character of a place or language;
"desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the church";
"profane the name of God" [syn: desecrate, profane,
outrage, violate]
5: force (someone) to have sex against their will; "The woman
was raped on her way home at night" [syn: rape, ravish,
violate, assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage]
6: destroy and strip of its possession; "The soldiers raped the
beautiful country" [syn: rape, spoil, despoil,
violate, plunder]