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lacerate

 - 5 dictionary results

lac⋅er⋅ate

  [v. las-uh-reyt; adj. las-uh-reyt, -er-it] verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing, adjective
Use lacerate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to tear roughly; mangle: The barbed wire lacerated his hands.
2. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; wound deeply; pain greatly: His bitter criticism lacerated my heart.
–adjective
3. lacerated.
Origin:
1535–45; < L lacerātus, ptp. of lacerāre to tear up (deriv. of lacer mangled); see -ate 1

Related forms:
lac⋅er⋅a⋅ble, adjective
lac⋅er⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty  [las-er-uh-bil-i-tee] , noun
lac⋅er⋅a⋅tive  [las-uh-rey-tiv, -er-uh-tiv] , adjective

Synonyms:
1. rend. See maim.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To lacerate
lac·er·ate   (lās'ə-rāt')   
tr.v.   lac·er·at·ed, lac·er·at·ing, lac·er·ates

  1. To rip, cut, or tear.

  2. To cause deep emotional pain to; distress.

adj.   (-rĭt, -rāt')

  1. Torn; mangled.

  2. Wounded.

  3. Having jagged, deeply cut edges: lacerate leaves.


[Middle English laceraten, from Latin lacerāre, lacerāt-, from lacer, torn.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

lacerate 
1592, from L. laceratus, pp. of lacerare "tear to pieces, mangle," from lacer "torn, mangled," from PIE base *leq- "to rend" (cf. Gk. lakis "tatter, rag," lakizein "to tear to pieces;" Rus. lochma "rag, tatter, scrap;" Albanian lakur "naked").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: lac·er·ate
Pronunciation: 'las-&-"rAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -at·ed; -at·ing
: to tear or rend roughly : wound jaggedly lacerated spleen>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

lacerate lac·er·ate (lās'ə-rāt')
v. lac·er·at·ed, lac·er·at·ing, lac·er·ates
To rip, cut, or tear. adj. (-rĭt, -rāt')

  1. Torn; mangled.

  2. Wounded.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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