pierce

pierce (pîrs)

v. pierced, pierc·ing, pierc·es

v.tr.

1. To cut or pass through with or as if with a sharp instrument; stab or penetrate.

2. To make a hole or opening in; perforate.

3. To make a way through: The path pierced the wilderness.

4. To sound sharply through: His shout pierced the din.

5. To succeed in penetrating (something) with the eyes or the intellect: Large glowing yellow eyes pierced the darkness.

v.intr.

To penetrate into or through something: The rocket pierced through space.

[Middle English percen, from Old French percer, probably from Vulgar Latin *pertsire, from Latin pertsus, past participle of pertundere, to bore through : per-, per- + tundere, to beat.]

piercer n.

piercing adj.

piercing·ly adv.

pierce

Verb

[piercing, pierced]

1. to make a hole in (something) with a sharp point

2. to force (a way) through (something)

3. (of light) to shine through (darkness)

4. (of sounds or cries) to sound sharply through (the silence)

5. to penetrate: the cold pierced the air [Old French percer]

piercing adj

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	Pierce - 14th President of the United States (1804-1869) Franklin Pierce, President Pierce
Verb	1.	pierce - cut or make a way through; "the knife cut through the flesh"; "The path pierced the jungle"; "Light pierced through the forest" penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" pick, break up - attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example; "Pick open the ice"
	2.	pierce - move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply; "The cold pierced her bones"; "Her words pierced the students" impress, strike, affect, move - have an emotional or cognitive impact upon; "This child impressed me as unusually mature"; "This behavior struck me as odd"
	3.	pierce - sound sharply or shrilly; "The scream pierced the night" sound - give off a certain sound or sounds; "This record sounds scratchy"
	4.	pierce - penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument thrust penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" stick - pierce or penetrate or puncture with something pointed; "He stuck the needle into his finger" stick - pierce with a thrust using a pointed instrument; "he stuck the cloth with the needle" peg - pierce with a wooden pin or knock or thrust a wooden pin into center punch - make a small hole in something as a guide for a drill empale, impale, spike, transfix - pierce with a sharp stake or point; "impale a shrimp on a skewer" horn, tusk - stab or pierce with a horn or tusk; "the rhino horned the explorer" gore - wound by piercing with a sharp or penetrating object or instrument lance - pierce with a lance, as in a knights' fight
	5.	pierce - make a hole into; "The needle pierced her flesh" penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" poke - make a hole by poking puncture - pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into; "puncture a tire" riddle - pierce with many holes; "The bullets riddled his body" prick, prickle - make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn; "The nurse pricked my finger to get a small blood sample" bite - penetrate or cut, as with a knife; "The fork bit into the surface" perforate, punch - make a hole into or between, as for ease of separation; "perforate the sheets of paper" sting, bite, prick - deliver a sting to; "A bee stung my arm yesterday" tap - pierce in order to draw a liquid from; "tap a maple tree for its syrup"; "tap a keg of beer"