Fossilize

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fossilize \Fos"sil*ize\, v. i.
     1. To become fossil.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, beyond the
        influence of change or progress.


        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fossilize \Fos"sil*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fossilized}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Fossilizing}.] [Cf. F. fossiliser.]
     1. To convert into a fossil; to petrify; as, to fossilize
        bones or wood.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by
        fossilization; to mummify; to deaden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Ten layers of birthdays on a woman's head
              Are apt to fossilize her girlish mirth. --Mrs.
                                                    Browning.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  fossilize
       v 1: convert to a fossil; "The little animals fossilized and are
            now embedded in the limestone" [syn: {fossilise}]
       2: become mentally inflexible [syn: {fossilise}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  31 Moby Thesaurus words for "fossilize":
     age, anneal, antiquate, become extinct, become obsolete, calcify,
     callous, case harden, cornify, date, fade, firm, fust, grow old,
     harden, indurate, lapidify, lithify, lose currency, molder,
     obsolesce, ossify, outdate, perish, petrify, rust, steel,
     superannuate, temper, toughen, vitrify