piercing en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈpɪəsɪŋ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈpɪɹsɪŋ/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From pierce + -ing.
Meanings
-
Appearing to look deeply into; penetrating.
piercing eyes
- Of temperature, extremely cold so that it penetrates through clothing and shelter.
-
Of sound, loud and sharp; shrill.
The piercing noise of the children could be heard two blocks from the elementary school.
In the meantime the saw was stopped and two of the men began filing and sharpening the blades, which produced such a piercing sound that it went through bone and marrow.
1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 155:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more piercing | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most piercing | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
armor-piercing · armour-piercing · unpiercing · nonpiercing · piercingness · piercingly · ear-piercing
Synonyms
Translations (23)
la strīdulus (of sound - shrill) · it pungente (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · mi tīwharawhara (of sound - shrill) · de stechend (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · it penetrante (of temperature - extremely cold) · de beißend (of temperature - extremely cold) · grc ὀξύφωνος (of sound - shrill) · it penetrante (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · be прані́злівы (of sound - shrill) · bg пронизващ (of temperature - extremely cold) · es punzante (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · mi kōtaratara (of temperature - extremely cold) · de durchdringend (of sound - shrill) · la penetrālis (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · bg проницателен (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · cmn 尖利 (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · de schrill (of sound - shrill) · de durchdringend (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · fi läpitunkeva (appearing to look deeply into; penetrating) · bg пронизителен (of sound - shrill) · be прарэзлівы (of sound - shrill) · mi tio (of temperature - extremely cold) · mi tīkākā (of sound - shrill)