PIERCINGLY

shrilly, piercingly

(adverb) in a shrill voice; “she sang rather shrilly”

piercingly, bitterly, bitingly, bitter

(adverb) extremely and sharply; “it was bitterly cold”; “bitter cold”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

piercingly (comparative more piercingly, superlative most piercingly)

In a piercing manner.

Source: Wiktionary


PIERCING

Pier"cing, a.

Definition: Forcibly entering, or adapted to enter, at or by a point; perforating; penetrating; keen; -- used also figuratively; as, a piercing instrument, or thrust. "Piercing eloquence." Shak.

– Pier"cing*ly, adv.

– Pier"cing*ness, n.

PIERCE

Pierce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pierced; p. pr. & vb. n. Piercing.] Etym: [OE. percen, F. percer, OF. percier, perchier, parchier; perh. fr. (assumed) LL. pertusiare for pertusare, fr. L. pertundere, pertusum, to beat, push, bore through; per through + tundere to beat: cf. OF. pertuisier to pierce, F. pertuis a hole. Cf. Contuse, Parch, Pertuse.]

1. To thrust into, penetrate, or transfix, with a pointed instrument. "I pierce . . . her tender side." Dryden.

2. To penetrate; to enter; to force a way into or through; to pass into or through; as, to pierce the enemy's line; a shot pierced the ship.

3. Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a mystery. "Pierced with grief." Pope. Can no prayers pierce thee Shak.

Pierce, v. i.

Definition: To enter; to penetrate; to make a way into or through something, as a pointed instrument does; -- used literally and figuratively. And pierced to the skin, but bit no more. Spenser. She would not pierce further into his meaning. Sir P. Sidney.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

20 April 2025

SALAD

(noun) food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens


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Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

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