Mortify (Verb)
Meaning 1
Hold within limits and control; "subdue one's appetites"; "mortify the flesh".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
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Meaning 2
Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
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Meaning 3
Undergo necrosis; "the tissue around the wound necrosed".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
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Meaning 4
Practice self-denial of one's body and appetites.
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- The monk chose a life of solitude to mortify his desires and devote himself to spiritual pursuits.
- Through a vow of chastity, she sought to mortify her body and attain a higher spiritual state.
- In his early years as a mystic, he attempted to mortify his senses by depriving himself of worldly pleasures.
- By abstaining from rich foods, the devotee aimed to mortify his flesh and cleanse his spirit.
- The hermit believed that by mortifying his physical desires, he would be better able to focus on spiritual enlightenment.