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Adjective: piercing  pirsing [N. Amer], piusing [Brit]
  1. Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    - acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, sharp
     
  2. Painful as if caused by a sharp instrument
    "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"
    - cutting, keen, knifelike, stabbing, lancinate, lancinating
Verb: pierce  pirs [N. Amer], pius [Brit]
  1. Cut or make a way through
    "The path pierced the jungle"; "Light pierced through the forest"
     
  2. Move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply
    "The cold pierced her bones"; "Her words pierced the students"
     
  3. Sound sharply or shrilly
    "The scream pierced the night"
     
  4. Penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
    - thrust
     
  5. Make a hole into
    "The needle pierced her flesh"

See also: perceptive, piercingly, sharp

Type of: affect, impress, move, penetrate, perforate, sound, strike

Encyclopedia: Pierce, ID Pierce, Id Pierce, Idaho Pierce Pierce, CO Pierce, Colorado Pierce, Jack Pierce, WI Pierce, William Pierce, Wisconsin Pierce, Kentucky Pierce, NE Pierce, Nebraska

Piercing