Mortify

  • 1Mortify — 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 …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2Mortify — 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… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3mortify — index badger, demean (make lower), discompose, disgrace, embarrass, humiliate, offend (insult), plague …

    Law dictionary

  • 4mortify — (v.) late 14c., to kill, from O.Fr. mortefiier destroy, overwhelm, punish, from L.L. mortificare cause death, kill, put to death, lit. make dead, from mortificus producing death, from L. mors (gen. mortis) death (see MORTAL (Cf. mortal) (adj.)) + …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5mortify — [v] embarrass abase, abash, affront, annoy, belittle, chagrin, chasten, confound, control, crush, deflate, deny, disappoint, discipline, discomfit, disgrace, displease, get one’s comeuppance*, harass, humble, humiliate, put to shame, ridicule,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6mortify — ► VERB (mortifies, mortified) 1) cause to feel embarrassed or humiliated. 2) subdue (physical urges) by self denial or discipline. 3) be affected by gangrene or necrosis. DERIVATIVES mortification noun mortifying adjective …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7mortify — [môrt′ə fī΄] vt. mortified, mortifying [ME mortifien < OFr mortifier < LL(Ec) mortificare, to kill, destroy < L mors, death (see MORTAL) + facere, to make, DO1] 1. to punish (one s body) or control (one s physical desires and passions)… …

    English World dictionary

  • 8mortify — mor|ti|fy [ˈmo:tıfaı US ˈmo:r ] v past tense and past participle mortified present participle mortifying third person singular mortifies [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: mortifier, from Latin mors; MORTAL1] 1.) to cause someone to feel …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9mortify — verb (T) 1 be mortified to feel extremely embarrassed or ashamed: She was mortified to think that he had read her diary. 2 mortify the flesh/yourself formal to try to control your natural physical desires and needs by making your body suffer pain …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10mortify — [c]/ˈmɔtəfaɪ / (say mawtuhfuy) verb (mortified, mortifying) –verb (t) 1. to humiliate in feeling, as by a severe wound to the pride or self complacency. 2. to bring (the body, passions, etc.) into subjection by abstinence, ascetic discipline, or… …