pierce

== English == === Pronunciation === (General American) IPA(key): /pɪɹs/ (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA(key): /pɪəs/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /piɹs/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /piəs/ (East Anglia, cheer–chair merger) IPA(key): /pɛːs/ (obsolete) IPA(key): /pɜː(ɹ)s/ 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) (transitive) To puncture; to break through. Synonym: transfix (transitive) To create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry. (transitive) to break or interrupt abruptly (transitive, figurative) To get to the heart or crux of (a matter). (transitive, figurative) To penetrate; to affect deeply. . ===== Derived terms ===== ===== 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) (Japan) A pierced earring. === Anagrams === Peirce, piecer, recipe, recipé