pierced

[ peerst ]

/ pɪərst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pierced ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

punctured or perforated, as to form a decorative design: a pendant in pierced copper.

(of the ear) having the lobe punctured, as for earrings.

(of an earring) made to be attached, as by a post or wire, through the hole in a pierced ear lobe.

Heraldry. (of a charge) open at the center to reveal the field: a lozenge pierced.

Origin of pierced

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at pierce, -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM pierced

un·pierced, adjective

Words nearby pierced

pier, pier glass, pier table, pierce, pierce's disease, pierced, piercing, piercing saw, piercy, pierhead, pieria

Definition for pierced (2 of 2)

pierce

[ peers ]

/ pɪərs /

verb (used with object), pierced, pierc·ing.

to penetrate into or run through (something), as a sharp, pointed dagger, object, or instrument does.

to make a hole or opening in.

to bore into or through; tunnel.

to perforate.

to make (a hole, opening, etc.) by or as by boring or perforating.

to make a way or path into or through: a road that pierces the dense jungle.

to penetrate with the eye or mind; see into or through: She couldn't pierce his thoughts.

to affect sharply with some sensation or emotion, as of cold, pain, or grief: The wind pierced her body. Her words pierced our hearts.

to sound sharply through (the air, stillness, etc.): A pistol shot pierced the night.

verb (used without object), pierced, pierc·ing.

to force or make a way into or through something; penetrate: to pierce to the heart.

Origin of pierce

1250–1300; Middle English percen < Old French perc(i)er < Vulgar Latin *pertūsiāre, verbal derivative of Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundere to bore a hole through, perforate, equivalent to per- per- + tundere to strike, beat

SYNONYMS FOR pierce

1 enter, puncture.

8 touch, move, strike, thrill.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pierce ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for pierce

1. Pierce, penetrate suggest the action of one object passing through another or making a way through and into another. The terms are used both concretely and figuratively. To pierce is to perforate quickly, as by stabbing; it suggests the use of a sharp, pointed instrument which is impelled by force: to pierce the flesh with a knife; a scream pierces one's ears. Penetrate suggests a slow or difficult movement: No ordinary bullet can penetrate an elephant's hide; to penetrate the depths of one's ignorance.

OTHER WORDS FROM pierce

pierce·a·ble, adjective pierc·er, noun un·pierce·a·ble, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for pierced

Your HR person is as likely to be as pierced as your barista.

This One Picture of Telly Savalas Refutes All Fears That Progress Has Ended |Nick Gillespie |October 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
She also commented on what might be her most distinguishing feature, her pierced nose.

Meet Montana's Nose-Ringed Candidate for the U.S. Senate |Ben Jacobs |August 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As unlucky as Gama was to have been hit, he was incredibly lucky that neither bullet had pierced his skull into his brain.

Easter Miracle in Brooklyn for Shooting Victim |Michael Daly |April 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Instead of blonde and bubbly, the women tend to be tattoed and pierced.

Porn's Behind-the-Camera Feminists |Emily Shire |February 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But the air was pierced by an even more dangerous and unsettling sound—the sound of counter-revolution.

The GOP’s Real Ted Nugent Problem |James Poulos |February 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The howdah, pierced all over with arrows, had something the appearance of a porcupine or a giant pincushion.

Female Warriors, Vol. I (of 2) |Ellen C. Clayton
The ball had pierced my hand by the metacarpus under the index finger, and had broken the first phalanges.

The Memoires of Casanova, Complete |Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
An arrow had pierced his right leg also and though it had not gone through and come out again, he got to Ash with difficulty.

The Bbur-nma in English |Babur, Emperor of Hindustan
And in the conflict, shooting from the Gandiva sundry swift arrows coursing straight, I pierced each of them with ten.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2 |Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Straining their eyes, they pierced the wall of rain to see a small speedboat fighting its way upstream.

Guilt of the Brass Thieves |Mildred A. Wirt

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (1 of 2)

pierce

/ (pɪəs) /

verb (mainly tr)

to form or cut (a hole) in (something) with or as if with a sharp instrument

to thrust into or penetrate sharply or violently the thorn pierced his heel

to force (a way, route, etc) through (something)

(of light) to shine through or penetrate (darkness)

(also intr) to discover or realize (something) suddenly or (of an idea) to become suddenly apparent

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

to move or affect (a person's emotions, bodily feelings, etc) deeply or sharply the cold pierced their bones

(intr) to penetrate or be capable of penetrating piercing cold

Derived forms of pierce

pierceable, adjective piercer, noun

Word Origin for pierce

C13 percen, from Old French percer, ultimately from Latin pertundere, from per through + tundere to strike

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (2 of 2)

Pierce

/ (pɪəs) /

noun

Franklin. 1804–69, US statesman; 14th president of the US (1853–57)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pierced

adjective

Origin of pierced

OTHER WORDS FROM pierced

Words nearby pierced

Definition for pierced (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), pierced, pierc·ing.

verb (used without object), pierced, pierc·ing.

Origin of pierce

SYNONYMS FOR pierce

synonym study for pierce

OTHER WORDS FROM pierce

Example sentences from the Web for pierced

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (1 of 2)

verb (mainly tr)

Derived forms of pierce

Word Origin for pierce

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (2 of 2)

noun

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pierced

adjective

Origin of pierced

OTHER WORDS FROM pierced

Words nearby pierced

Definition for pierced (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), pierced, pierc·ing.

verb (used without object), pierced, pierc·ing.

Origin of pierce

SYNONYMS FOR pierce

synonym study for pierce

OTHER WORDS FROM pierce

Words related to pierced

Example sentences from the Web for pierced

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (1 of 2)

verb (mainly tr)

Derived forms of pierce

Word Origin for pierce

British Dictionary definitions for pierced (2 of 2)

noun