From Middle English perce, from conjugated forms of Old French percier such as (jeo) pierce (“I pierce”), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertūsiō, from Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundō (“thrust or bore through”), from per- (“through”) + tundō (“beat, pound”). Displaced native Old English þȳrlian (literally “to hole”).
Meanings
(nonstandard) A piercing.
When I was considering a tongue pierce, I had to find out as much as I could about it. 1998 March 20, dssyenon (Ted Liu), “ Oh God, My Nephew Wants a Tongue Ring !”, in alt.health (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Jul 2026:
I've had other employees with piercings and I've dealt with them accordingly. One had a lip pierce, the other a nose pierce. The first was a summer hire and very agreeable to removing the pierce while at the center. The latter has been with us for almost two years, and when she came in one day with the nose pierce, probably forgetting to remove it before arrival, all I had to do was quietly talk to her -- nothing formal or threatening, just a reminder -- and the piercing disappeared. 1999 February 21, Mariann T. Woodward, “Staff and Body Piercing”, in alt.childcare (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Jul 2026:
Hello , I already have a lip pierce (ring) and want to get another one on the other side of my lip. 1998 June 30, jawhar, “dual lip pierce”, in rec.arts.bodyart (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Jul 2026:
Actually, a navel pierce beautificates any feminine form, as I'm sure it does for you... 1997 June 18, ROBERT W. MONTCALM, “Naval piercing for men.”, in rec.arts.bodyart (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Jul 2026:
From Middle English perce, from conjugated forms of Old French percier such as (jeo) pierce (“I pierce”), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertūsiō, from Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundō (“thrust or bore through”), from per- (“through”) + tundō (“beat, pound”). Displaced native Old English þȳrlian (literally “to hole”).
Meanings
(transitive) To puncture; to break through.
What appliance can pierce through the outer layers of a star and test the conditions within? 1926, A[rthur] [S]tanley Eddington, “Survey of the Problem”, in The Internal Constitution of the Stars, page 1:
to pierce the enemy's line
I pierce her open back, or tender side 1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
A shot pierced the ship.
The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash.
(transitive) To create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry.
Can you believe he pierced his tongue?
(transitive) to break or interrupt abruptly
A dreadful scream pierced the silence.
(figuratively, transitive) To get to the heart or crux of (a matter).
to pierce a mystery
(figuratively, transitive) To penetrate; to affect deeply.
pierced with grief 1715–1720, Homer, “Book XI”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
The flatness of the landscape facilitates views right across the Firth of Forth to Fife, before the railway begins to pierce the Edinburgh suburbs. 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:
A stab of fear pierced my heart.
Can no prayers pierce thee? c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
ang þȳrlian (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · fr percer (create a hole for jewelry) · ko 뚫다 (create a hole for jewelry) · bni tuba (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · el τορέω (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru проколо́ть (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · de piercen (create a hole for jewelry) · ru пронзи́ть (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru проткну́ть (create a hole for jewelry) · it pungere (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ga toll (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ro străpunge (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · scn sfunnari (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przebijać (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · hu átdöf (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sv bryta genom (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sv göra hål på (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ktu tobula (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · cho hlumbli (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sat ᱥᱳ (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · bg пробождам (create a hole for jewelry) · ba сәнсеү (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru проколо́ть (create a hole for jewelry) · no punktere (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · bg пробивам (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru протыка́ть (create a hole for jewelry) · ml തുളയ്ക്കുക (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · om waraanuu (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sq shpoj (create a hole for jewelry) · sq biroj (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ga poll (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · it squarciare (interrupt) · la transigō (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · es traspasar (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sq zhbiroj (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · no trenge gjennom (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ba тишеү (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · it perforare (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ca foradar (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · hu megszúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · fi puhkaista (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sv pierca (create a hole for jewelry) · de durchstechen (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · no ta hull (create a hole for jewelry) · fi lävistää (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pt perfurar (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru прерыва́ть (interrupt) · ang þȳrlian (create a hole for jewelry) · scn pirciari (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru пронза́ть (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · tet sona (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · fi lävistää (interrupt) · sq biroj (create a hole for jewelry) · ru прока́лывать (create a hole for jewelry) · mi tioka (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · kea fróde (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · kea fradu (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pt furar (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · mi oka (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · el διαπερνώ (interrupt) · no perforere (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · hu átszúr (create a hole for jewelry) · ar ثَقَبَ (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · es agujerear (create a hole for jewelry) · el τρυπώ (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · de lochen (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · rup ampihiur (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · fr percer (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sh probušiti (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ja 刺す (create a hole for jewelry) · rup cãrtiljedz (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sv ta hål (create a hole for jewelry) · he רָצַע (create a hole for jewelry) · hu kiszúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ba тишеү (create a hole for jewelry) · es horacar (create a hole for jewelry) · ddg apasono (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · es punzonar (create a hole for jewelry) · ru прока́лывать (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · cmn 穿 (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · mi wero (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · hu kifúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sw -dunga (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · cmn 刺穿 (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ln tuba (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · rup azvundzescu (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · es atravesar (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · it perforare (create a hole for jewelry) · ml തുളയിടുക (create a hole for jewelry) · scn spirtusiari (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przebić (create a hole for jewelry) · hu kilyukaszt (create a hole for jewelry) · it forare (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · grc τορέω (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · el διαπερνώ (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ko 뚫다 (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · el τρυπώ (create a hole for jewelry) · akk dakāšum (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ru протыка́ть (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · kk саю (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · tr deldirmek (create a hole for jewelry) · grc πείρω (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przekłuwać (create a hole for jewelry) · hu átfúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · it bucare (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · unm tànkama (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ja 刺す (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sv punktera (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · mi poka (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · el διεισδύω (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ta குத்து (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przebijać (create a hole for jewelry) · hu szúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · is nísta (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przebić (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · pl przekłuć (create a hole for jewelry) · es horadar (create a hole for jewelry) · kea fura (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · rup spitrundu (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · fr percer (interrupt) · rup strãpungu (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · ar ثَقَبَ (create a hole for jewelry) · ru проткну́ть (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sq zhbiroj (create a hole for jewelry) · hu átfúródik (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · hu átszúr (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate) · sq shpoj (to puncture — see also puncture, perforate)