What does "pierce" mean?
Pierce: To penetrate; to enter; to force a way into or through; to pass into or through; as, to pierce the enemy's line; a shot pierced the ship.
Additional senses
- 2.Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a mystery. "Pierced with grief." Pope. Can no prayers pierce thee Shak.
- 3.To enter; to penetrate; to make a way into or through something, as a pointed instrument does; -- used literally and figuratively. And pierced to the skin, but bit no more. Spenser. She would not pierce further into his meaning. Sir P. Sidney.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-pierce-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00