mortify

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: {mortify}, {subdue}, {crucify}]
    3: cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his
       colleague by criticising him in front of the boss" [syn:
       {humiliate}, {mortify}, {chagrin}, {humble}, {abase}]
    4: undergo necrosis; "the tissue around the wound necrosed"
       [syn: {necrose}, {gangrene}, {mortify}, {sphacelate}]
    

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