v. in·fringed, in·fring·ing, in·fring·es v.tr. 1. To transgress or exceed the limits of; violate: infringe a contract; infringe a patent. 2. Obsolete To defeat; invalidate. v.intr. To encroach on someone or something; engage in trespassing: an increased workload that infringed on his personal life. [Latin īnfringere, to destroy : in-, intensive pref.; see IN-2 + frangere, to break; see bhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] in·fringer n. |
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