mortify Hear it!

mortify Definition

mor·tify (môrt′ə fī′)

transitive verb -·fied′, -·fy′·ing

  1. to punish (one's body) or control (one's physical desires and passions) by self-denial, fasting, etc., as a means of religious or ascetic discipline
  2. to cause to feel shame, humiliation, chagrin, etc.; injure the pride or self-respect of
  3. Now Rare to cause (body tissue) to decay or become gangrenous
  4. to destroy the vitality or vigor of

Etymology: ME mortifien < OFr mortifier < LL(Ec) mortificare, to kill, destroy < L mors, death (see mortal) + facere, to make, do

intransitive verb

  1. to practice mortification (sense )
  2. Now Rare to decay or become gangrenous

mortify Related Forms
mor′·ti·fi′er noun
mortify Synonyms

mortify

v.

shame, embarrass, discipline, belittle; see disgrace, humiliate, ridicule.

mortify Usage Examples

Object

  • flesh: At 15s 6d for the former, and 25s the latter, it is not the world's cheapest way of mortifying the flesh.
  • sin: We cannot mortify sin till we be in Christ; he is our sanctification.
  • experience: Coming third in local government results is a mortifying experience for the governing party.
  • pride: But this was enough to wear off the shyness on her side, and any symptoms of mortified pride and vanity on his.
  • lust: But are there not many here who never knew what it was to mortify one lust for Christ?
  • thing: Anyway, the publication of this list does reveal some rather mortifying things about me.

Infinitive complement

  • discover: He began his speech by admitting he was mortified to discover they would not be singing Forty Years On!
  • learn: We were mortified to learn that the local school children went to the top regularly as an outing.
  • find: He was quite mortified to find that it was his own son.
  • see: I was mortified to see that, from almost every window along my train, a hooligan was proudly dousing the platform with urine.
  • hear: I was mortified to hear my letter's hectoring presumption read back to me.
  • admit: But I'm mortified to admit that Gary Glitter came into my head instead!

Modifying Another Word

  • dreadfully: I'm dreadfully mortified that these things auction seller have happened to annoy auction seller you.
  • absolutely: I hope whoever was the guilty party feels absolutely mortified.
  • therefore: Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, " etc. ( Col. iii.
  • so: I was so mortified that I had to thank God he was blind.
  • not: Thus: 1. If sin be discovered, but not mortified; if there be no endeavor to get it removed.
  • totally: I've never been defeated before and am totally mortified.

Preposition: that

  • thing: I'm dreadfully mortified that these things have happened to annoy you.
mortify Quotes

There still remains, to mortifya wit, The many-headed monster of the pit.

—Pope, Alexander