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mutilate
mu·ti·late [ myt'l àyt ] (past and past participle mu·ti·lat·ed, present participle mu·ti·lat·ing, 3rd person present singular mu·ti·lates)


transitive verb 
Definition:
 
1. destroy body part: to inflict serious injury on the body or a part of the body of a person or animal by removing or destroying parts of it
2. ruin something by removing parts: to damage or spoil something such as a piece of writing or a movie by removing important parts of it
3. damage something seriously: to inflict serious damage on something
[Mid-16th century. Partly < Latin mutilat-, past participle of mutilare "cut or lop off" < mutilus "maimed"; partly < obsolete mutilate "mutilated"]

mu·ti·la·tion [ myt'l áysh'n ] noun
mu·ti·la·tive adjective
mu·ti·la·tor noun
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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