Definitions for: Pierce


[n] 14th President of the United States (1804-1869)
[v] make a hole into; "The needle pierced her flesh"
[v] penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
[v] cut or make a way through; "the knife cut through the flesh"; "The path pierced the jungle"; "Light pierced through the forest"
[v] move or affect (a person's emotions, bodily feelings, etc.) deeply or sharply; "The cold pierced her bones"; "Her words pierced the students"
[v] sound sharply or shrilly; "The scream pierced the night"



Webster (1913) Definition: Pierce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pierced; p. pr. & vb. n.
Piercing.] [OE. percen, F. percer, OF. percier, perchier,
parchier; perh. fr. (assumed) LL. pertusiare for pertusare,
fr. L. pertundere, pertusum, to beat, push, bore through; per
through + tundere to beat: cf. OF. pertuisier to pierce, F.
pertuis a hole. Cf. Contuse, Parch, Pertuse.]
1. To thrust into, penetrate, or transfix, with a pointed
instrument. ``I pierce . . . her tender side.'' --Dryden.

2. To penetrate; to enter; to force a way into or through; to
pass into or through; as, to pierce the enemy's line; a
shot pierced the ship.

3. Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a
mystery. ``Pierced with grief.'' --Pope.

Can no prayers pierce thee? --Shak.


Pierce, v. i.
To enter; to penetrate; to make a way into or through
something, as a pointed instrument does; -- used literally
and figuratively.

And pierced to the skin, but bit no more. --Spenser.

She would not pierce further into his meaning. --Sir P.
Sidney.

Synonyms: Franklin Pierce, President Pierce, thrust

See Also: affect, bite, break, break up, center punch, Chief Executive, cut, empale, gore, horn, impale, impress, lance, move, peg, penetrate, perforate, pick, poke, President, President of the United States, prick, punch, puncture, riddle, sound, spike, stick, sting, strike, tap, transfix, tusk

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