pierce

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɪɹs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɪəs/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /pɜː(ɹ)s/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)s

Etymology 1

From Middle English perce, from conjugated forms of Old French percier such as (jeo) pierce (“I pierce”), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertūsiō, from Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundō (“thrust or bore through”), from per- (“through”) + tundō (“beat, pound”). Displaced native Old English þȳrlian (literally “to hole”).

Verb

pierce (third-person singular simple present pierces, present participle piercing, simple past and past participle pierced)

1. (transitive) To puncture; to break through.

   The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash.

   to pierce the enemy's line; a shot pierced the ship

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC:

     I pierce her open back, or tender side

   • 1926, A[rthur] [S]tanley Eddington, “Survey of the Problem”, in The Internal Constitution of the Stars, page 1:

     What appliance can pierce through the outer layers of a star and test the conditions within?

2. (transitive) To create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry.

   Can you believe he pierced his tongue?

3. (transitive) to break or interrupt abruptly

   A scream pierced the silence.

4. (transitive, figurative) To get to the heart or crux of (a matter).

   to pierce a mystery

5. (transitive, figurative) To penetrate; to affect deeply.
   • 1715–1720, Homer, [Alexander] Pope, transl., “Book XI”, in The Iliad of Homer, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: W Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott , →OCLC:

     pierced with grief

   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Can no prayers pierce thee?

   • 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:

     The flatness of the landscape facilitates views right across the Firth of Forth to Fife, before the railway begins to pierce the Edinburgh suburbs.

Derived terms

• armor-piercing shot
• piercing

Descendants

• → Dutch: piercing
• → Japanese: ピアス

Translations

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Japanese ピアス (piasu, “pierced earring”), itself from English pierce.

Noun

pierce (plural pierces)

1. (Japan) A pierced earring.

Anagrams

• Peirce, piecer, recipe, recipé