Puncture

puncture
    n 1: loss of air pressure in a tire when a hole is made by some
         sharp object
    2: a small hole made by a sharp object
    3: the act of puncturing or perforating
    v 1: pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into; "puncture a
         tire"
    2: make by piercing; "puncture a hole"
    3: reduce or lessen the size or importance of; "The bad review
       of his work deflated his self-confidence" [syn: {deflate},
       {puncture}]
    4: cause to lose air pressure or collapse by piercing; "puncture
       an air balloon"
    5: be pierced or punctured; "The tire punctured"
    

Puncture \Punc"ture\, n. [L. punctura, fr. pungere, punctum, to
   prick. See {Pungent}.]
   1. The act of puncturing; perforating with something pointed.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A small hole made by a point; a slight wound, bite, or
      sting; as, the puncture of a nail, needle, or pin.
      [1913 Webster]

            A lion may perish by the puncture of an asp.
                                                  --Rambler.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Puncture \Punc"ture\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Punctured}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Puncturing}.]
   To pierce with a small, pointed instrument, or the like; to
   prick; to make a puncture in; as, to puncture the skin.
   [1913 Webster]
    

238 Moby Thesaurus words for "puncture":
      abrade, abrasion, acupunctuation, acupuncture, auger, bark, belie,
      birthmark, bite, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, bloody, blotch,
      blow sky-high, blow up, bore, boring, brand, break, bring up short,
      broach, burn, caste mark, cave, cave in, chafe, chalk, chalk up,
      check, check off, checkmark, chip, cicatrix, cicatrize, claw,
      collapse, concussion, countersink, crack, crackle, craze, cut,
      dapple, dash, define, deflate, delimit, demarcate, destroy,
      discolor, discoloration, disconfirm, discourage, discredit,
      disillusion, disprove, dot, drill, drill hole, earmark, empierce,
      empiercement, engrave, engraving, explode, expose, fall in, fix,
      fixing, flash burn, fleck, flick, fold, fold up, fracture, fray,
      frazzle, freckle, fret, gall, gash, go through, gore, goring,
      gouge, gouge out, graving, hack, hatch, hole, honeycomb, humble,
      hurt, impale, impalement, implode, impress, imprint, incise,
      incision, injure, injury, invalidate, jab, jot, lacerate,
      laceration, lance, lancing, leak, lentigo, lesion, line, macula,
      maim, make a mark, make mincemeat of, mark, mark off, mark out,
      marking, maul, mole, mortal wound, mottle, mutilate, mutilation,
      needle, negate, negative, nevus, nick, notch, opening, patch,
      pencil, penetrate, penetration, pepper, perforate, perforation,
      pierce, piercing, pink, point, polka dot, prick, pricking, print,
      prove the contrary, punch, punching, punctuate, puncturing, ream,
      ream out, rend, rent, riddle, rip, ruin, run, run through, rupture,
      savage, scald, scar, scarification, scarify, scorch, score, scotch,
      scrape, scratch, scratching, scuff, seal, seam, second-degree burn,
      shoot, show up, skewer, skewering, skin, slash, slit, sore, spear,
      speck, speckle, spike, spit, splash, splotch, spot, sprain, stab,
      stab wound, stabbing, stain, stamp, stick, stigma, stigmatize,
      strain, strawberry mark, streak, striate, stripe, tap, tattoo,
      tattoo mark, tear, terebration, third-degree burn, tick, tick off,
      tittle, trace, transfix, transfixation, transfixion, transforation,
      transpierce, trauma, traumatize, trepan, trepanning, trephine,
      trephining, undercut, underline, underscore, watermark, wound,
      wounds immedicable, wrench