CRUCIFY

savage, blast, pillory, crucify

(verb) criticize harshly or violently; “The press savaged the new President”; “The critics crucified the author for plagiarizing a famous passage”

mortify, subdue, crucify

(verb) hold within limits and control; “subdue one’s appetites”; “mortify the flesh”

torment, rag, bedevil, crucify, dun, frustrate

(verb) treat cruelly; “The children tormented the stuttering teacher”

crucify

(verb) kill by nailing onto a cross; “Jesus Christ was crucified”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

crucify (third-person singular simple present crucifies, present participle crucifying, simple past and past participle crucified)

To execute (a person) by nailing to a cross.

To punish or otherwise express extreme anger at, especially as a scapegoat or target of outrage.

(informal) To thoroughly beat at a sport or game.

Source: Wiktionary

Cru"ci*fy (-f), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crucified (-fd); p. pr. & vb.n. Crucifying.] Etym: [F. crucifier, fr. (assumed) LL. crucificare, for crucifigere, fr, L. crux, crucis, cross + figere to fix, the ending - figere being changed to -ficare, F. -fier (in compounds), as if fr. L. facere to do, make. See Cross, and Fix, and cf. Crucifix.]

1. To fasten to a cross; to put to death by nailing the hands and feet to a cross or gibbet. They cried, saying, Crucify him, cricify him. Luke xxiii. 21.

2. To destroy the power or ruling influence of; to subdue completely; to mortify. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Gal. v. 24.

3. To vex or torment. Beau. & FL.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition