crucify

[ kroo-suh-fahy ]
See synonyms for crucify on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),cru·ci·fied, cru·ci·fy·ing.
  1. to put to death by nailing or binding the hands and feet to a cross.

  2. to treat with gross injustice; persecute; torment; torture.

  1. to subdue (passion, sin, etc.).

Origin of crucify

1
Middle English crucifien<Anglo-French, Old French crucifier<Latin crucifīgere, equivalent to Latin cruci- (stem of crux) cross + fīgere to fix, bind fast

Other words from crucify

  • cru·ci·fi·er, noun
  • un·cru·ci·fied, adjective

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British Dictionary definitions for crucify

crucify

/ (ˈkruːsɪˌfaɪ) /


verb-fies, -fying or -fied (tr)
  1. to put to death by crucifixion

  2. slang to defeat, ridicule, etc, totally: the critics crucified his performance

  1. to treat very cruelly; torment

  2. to subdue (passion, lust, etc); mortify

Origin of crucify

1
C13: from Old French crucifier, from Late Latin crucifīgere to crucify, to fasten to a cross, from Latin crux cross + fīgere to fasten

Derived forms of crucify

  • crucifier, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012