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Bastardise (Verb)

Change something so that its value declines; for example, art forms.

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Declare a child to be illegitimate.

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.

English law previously allowed for declarations of illegitimacy that could bastardise children born out of wedlock.
In earlier times, any child born to unmarried parents would be bastardised and suffer inferior rights under the law.
By refusing to marry the child's mother, the father had effectively bastardised the little girl.
In effect, the outdated law served to bastardise and isolate their offspring socially.
Historically, the use of such clauses sought to bastardise any children the woman may have with a future partner.