Mortify

4 definitions found

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

  Mortify \Mor"ti*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Mortified}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Mortifying}.] [OE. mortifien, F. mortifier, fr. L.
     mortificare; L. mors, mortis, death + -ficare (in comp.) to
     make. See {Mortal}, and {-fy}.]
     1. To destroy the organic texture and vital functions of; to
        produce gangrene in.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To destroy the active powers or essential qualities of; to
        change by chemical action. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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              Quicksilver is mortified with turpentine. --Bacon.
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              He mortified pearls in vinegar.       --Hakewill.
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     3. To deaden by religious or other discipline, as the carnal
        affections, bodily appetites, or worldly desires; to bring
        into subjection; to abase; to humble; as, to mortify the
        flesh.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              With fasting mortified, worn out with tears.
                                                    --Harte.
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              Mortify thy learned lust.             --Prior.
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              Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the
              earth.                                --Col. iii. 5.
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     4. To affect with vexation, chagrin; to depress.
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              The news of the fatal battle of Worcester, which
              exceedingly mortified our expectations. --Evelyn.
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              How often is the ambitious man mortified with the
              very praises he receives, if they do not rise so
              high as he thinks they ought!         --Addison.
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     5. To humiliate deeply, especially by injuring the pride of;
        to embarrass painfully; to humble; as, the team was
        mortified to lose by 45 to 0.
        [1913 Webster + PJC]

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

  Mortify \Mor"ti*fy\, v. i.
     1. To lose vitality and organic structure, as flesh of a
        living body; to gangrene.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To practice penance from religious motives; to deaden
        desires by religious discipline.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This makes him . . . give alms of all that he hath,
              watch, fast, and mortify.             --Law.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To be subdued; to decay, as appetites, desires, etc.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  mortify
       v 1: practice self-denial of one's body and appetites
       2: hold within limits and control; "subdue one's appetites";
          "mortify the flesh" [syn: {subdue}, {cricify}]
       3: cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his
          colleague by criticising him in front of the boss" [syn: {humiliate},
           {chagrin}, {humble}, {abase}]
       4: undergo necrosis; "the tissue around the wound necrosed"
          [syn: {necrose}, {gangrene}, {sphacelate}]
       [also: {mortified}]

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

  60 Moby Thesaurus words for "mortify":
     abash, break up, bring down, canker, cast down, castigate, chagrin,
     chasten, confound, confuse, control, corrupt, crumble,
     crumble into dust, crush, decay, decompose, deflate, degrade,
     discipline, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, disgrace,
     disintegrate, disturb, downgrade, embarrass, fall into decay,
     fall to pieces, fester, gangrene, go bad, go to pieces, humble,
     humiliate, let down, mildew, mold, molder, necrose, punish,
     put down, put out, put to shame, putrefy, putresce, rankle, rebuff,
     reduce, rot, shame, sphacelate, spoil, subdue, subjugate, suppress,
     suppurate, throw into confusion, upset