petrify

pet·ri·fy

verb \ˈpe-trə-ˌfī\

pet·ri·fiedpet·ri·fy·ing

Definition of PETRIFY

transitive verb

1

: to convert (organic matter) into stone or a substance of stony hardness by the infiltration of water and the deposition of dissolved mineral matter

2

: to make rigid or inert like stone:

a : to make lifeless or inactive : deaden <slogans are apt to petrify a man's thinking — Saturday Review>

b : to confound with fear, amazement, or awe <a novel about an airline pilot that will petrify you — Martin Levin>

intransitive verb

: to become stone or of stony hardness or rigidity

Examples of PETRIFY

1. the processes that petrify wood
2. The dead tree petrified into stone.

Origin of PETRIFY

Middle French petrifier, from petr- + -ifier -ify

First Known Use: 1594

Related to PETRIFY

Synonyms

castrate, damp, dampen, deaden, desiccate, devitalize, enervate, geld, lobotomize, dehydrate

Antonyms

brace, energize, enliven, invigorate, quicken, stimulate, vitalize, vivify

Related Words

burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, sap, tucker (out), undermine, weaken, wear, wear out; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

Near Antonyms

arouse, rouse, stir; charge, electrify, galvanize; excite, ferment, fire, foment, incite, inflame (also enflame), instigate, kindle, provoke, spark, trigger, whip (up); abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, inspire, lift; reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, reenergize, refresh, regenerate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive

Rhymes with PETRIFY

abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify

pet·ri·fy

verb \ˈpe-trə-ˌfī\   (Medical Dictionary)

pet·ri·fied; pet·ri·fy·ing

Medical Definition of PETRIFY

transitive verb

: to convert (organic matter) into stone or a stony substance

intransitive verb

: to become stone or like stone