Dictionary

lapidate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈlæpɪˌdeɪt/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin lapidātus, perfect passive participle of lapidō (“to throw stones at”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lapis (“stone”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To throw stones or other objects at, as punishment, sometimes until death.
   • the host (in tailcoat, grey cravat, purple vest) is lapidated by his wife while he loudly cries: "Maggie—please save a cup fer coffee in the morning." 1932 February 1, “Jiggs & Maggie”, in Time Magazine:
   • On August 27, 2002, a Nigerian court ordered the mother of a newborn child, Amina Lawal, to be publicly lapidated for adultery. 2003 August 17, Daily Times:
2. (figuratively, transitive) To hurl insults at.
   • The hour-long (and far too slow-paced) show: Malice in Wonderland, by lampooning, lapidating S. J. Perelman, veteran of movie-writing stints 1959 January 26, “Top of the Week”, in Time Magazine:

Forms

Relateds

lapidarian · lapidary · lapidify · dilapidate · lapillus · lapidation

Synonyms

stone

Translations (13)

tr taşlamak (stone to death) · fr lapider (stone to death) · it lapidare (stone to death) · pl kamienować (stone to death) · ca lapidar (stone to death) · bg пребивам с камъни (stone to death) · hy քարկոծել (stone to death) · pl ukamienować (stone to death) · fi soimata (to hurl insults) · eo ŝtonmortigi (stone to death) · fi kivittää (stone to death) · nl stenigen (stone to death) · la lapido (stone to death)