lacerate
pronunciation
How to pronounce lacerate in British English:
UK [ˈlæsəreɪt]
How to pronounce lacerate in American English:
US [ˈlæsəˌret]
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- Verb:
- cut or tear irregularly
- deeply hurt the feelings of; distress
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- Adjective:
- irregularly slashed and jagged as if torn
- having edges that are jagged from injury
Word Origin
- lacerate (v.)
- early 15c., from Latin laceratus, past participle of lacerare "tear to pieces, mangle," figuratively, "to slander, censure, abuse," from lacer "torn, mangled," from PIE root *lek- "to rend, tear" (cognates: Greek lakis "tatter, rag," lakizein "to tear to pieces;" Russian lochma "rag, tatter, scrap;" Albanian l'akur "naked"). Related: Lacerated; lacerating.
Example
- 1. They are sharp and will lacerate skirts , and they bruised my face .
- 2. Annual herbs ; stipules usually lacerate into linear segments .
- 3. Perianth lobes joined , denticulate or lacerate .
- 4. Margin of leaves membranous , minutely lacerate .
- 5. The cane , which must be cut back-strainingly close to the ground , contains sharp fibres that lacerate ungloved hands .