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| pet·ri·fy [ péttrə f ] (past and past participle pet·ri·fied, present participle pet·ri·fy·ing, 3rd person present singular pet·ri·fies) |
verb |
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1. transitive verb immobilize somebody with fear: to cause a person or animal to become immobile with terror
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2. transitive and intransitive verb turn something to stone: to become stone, or cause something organic to turn into stone
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3. transitive and intransitive verb make or become deadened: to become dull, stiff, or deadened, or cause something to become dull, stiff, or deadened
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| [15th century. < French pétrifier or medieval Latin petrificare, both < Latin petra "stone, rock" < Greek, "rock"] |
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  pet·ri·fi·er noun |
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