petrify
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle French pétrifier, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Medieval Latin petrificare, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin petra (“rock”) + -ficare from facere (“do, make”).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈpɛ.tɹəˌfaɪ/
Verb
petrify (third-person singular simple present petrifies, present participle petrifying, simple past and past participle petrified)
- To harden organic matter by permeating with water and depositing dissolved minerals.
- (Can we date this quote by Kirwan and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- a river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves
- (Can we date this quote by Kirwan and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- To produce rigidity akin to stone.
- To immobilize with fright.
- (intransitive) To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as organic matter by calcareous deposits.
- (intransitive, figurative) To become stony, callous, or obdurate.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Like Niobe we marble grow, / And petrify with grief.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- (transitive, figurative) To make callous or obdurate; to stupefy; to paralyze; to transform; as by petrification.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:frighten
Related terms
Translations
to harden organic matter
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to produce rigidity akin to stone
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to immobilize with fright
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to become stone, or of a stony hardness
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Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- Requests for date/Kirwan
- English intransitive verbs
- Requests for date/Dryden
- English transitive verbs
- Requests for date/Alexander Pope
- Requests for date/George Eliot
- en:Fear