SCARIFY (scarified)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: scarified   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does scarify mean? 

• SCARIFY (verb)
  The verb SCARIFY has 3 senses:

1. puncture and scar (the skin), as for purposes or tribal identification or rituals

2. scratch the surface of

3. break up

  Familiarity information: SCARIFY used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCARIFY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they scarify    ... he / she / it scarifies   
Past simple: scarified   
Past participle: scarified   
-ing form: scarifying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Puncture and scar (the skin), as for purposes or tribal identification or rituals

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The men in some African tribes scarify their faces

Hypernyms (to "scarify" is one way to...):

puncture (pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

scar (a mark left (usually on the skin) by the healing of injured tissue)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Scratch the surface of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

scarify seeds

Hypernyms (to "scarify" is one way to...):

mark; nock; score (make small marks into the surface of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Break up

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

scarify soil

Hypernyms (to "scarify" is one way to...):

loosen (make less dense)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something