pierce
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to penetrate into or run through (something), as a sharp, pointed dagger, object, or instrument does.
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to make a hole or opening in.
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to bore into or through; tunnel.
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to perforate.
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to make (a hole, opening, etc.) by or as by boring or perforating.
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to make a way or path into or through.
a road that pierces the dense jungle.
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to penetrate with the eye or mind; see into or through.
She couldn't pierce his thoughts.
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to affect sharply with some sensation or emotion, as of cold, pain, or grief.
The wind pierced her body. Her words pierced our hearts.
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to sound sharply through (the air, stillness, etc.).
A pistol shot pierced the night.
verb (used without object)
noun
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Franklin, 1804–69, 14th president of the U.S. 1853–57.
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John Robinson, 1910–2002, U.S. electrical engineer: helped develop communications satellites.
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a male given name, form of Peter.
verb
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to form or cut (a hole) in (something) with or as if with a sharp instrument
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to thrust into or penetrate sharply or violently
the thorn pierced his heel
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to force (a way, route, etc) through (something)
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(of light) to shine through or penetrate (darkness)
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(also intr) to discover or realize (something) suddenly or (of an idea) to become suddenly apparent
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(of sounds or cries) to sound sharply through (the silence)
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to move or affect (a person's emotions, bodily feelings, etc) deeply or sharply
the cold pierced their bones
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(intr) to penetrate or be capable of penetrating
piercing cold
noun
Usage
What does pierce mean? To pierce something is to penetrate or puncture it, usually with something sharp, making a hole in the process.This sense of the word is associated with needles and other thin, sharp objects used to pierce surfaces. To pierce someone’s ear is to make a hole in it with a needle so that an earring can be inserted. This is called a piercing.The word can be used in the context of someone doing the piercing, as in You will need to pierce the skin with this needle, or in the context of an object piercing something, as in The needle pierced the skin. Things that have been pierced can be described with the adjective pierced, as in pierced ears. Things that pierce aren’t always sharp. Sometimes, things pierce by penetrating with force. For example, bullets and artillery shells that are designed to pierce protective coverings and shields are described as armor-piercing.More broadly, pierce can mean to make a hole, opening, tunnel, or path into or through something, as in The mountain is pierced by a long tunnel. These literal senses of pierce are the basis of several figurative senses of the word.Pierce can mean to see into or through, as if penetrating something with the eye or mind, as in Her stare pierced my soul. It can also mean to affect intensely or sharply, as in The wind pierced my face or Your writing needs to pierce the reader’s heart. An insult can pierce you in this way—meaning it can cut you deeply.Similarly, shrill sounds can be said to pierce your ears, the air, or the stillness, and light can be said to pierce the darkness.The word piercing can also be used as an adjective to describe things that are intense, penetrating, or sharp in a figurative way, as in a piercing wind, a piercing scream, a piercing stare, or a piercing remark.Example: This tarp is pretty thick, so to pierce it you’ll have to really stab the stake through it forcefully.
Related Words
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 Word Forms
- pierceable adjective
- piercer noun
- unpierceable adjective
Etymology
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Notably, the low of that base was marked by a bullish piercing line candle, hinting at underlying demand.
From Barron's
Candlesticks have played a pivotal role at major turning points, beginning with a bullish piercing line in April 2020 that was later successfully retested during the completion of a bullish morning star that November.
From Barron's
While exhaustive, it’s a bit different this time around; there is a piercing sense of hope that we’re getting somewhere.
From Salon
That move began with a bullish piercing line in the week ending April 11 and culminated with a bearish shooting star in the week ending October 17.
From Barron's
The braggadocious “Helicopter” has a piercing throb like a car alarm, while “Stole Ya Flow”—a diss track apparently addressed to Drake—has a curling and distorted drone winding through it, a rattlesnake-like warning.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
