perforate

  • 1perforate — perforate, puncture, punch, prick, bore, drill mean to pierce through so as to leave a hole. Perforate, although it can mean to pierce, is used mainly with reference to the action of a machine or instrument which makes usually small round holes… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 2Perforate — Per fo*rate (p[ e]r f[ o]*r[=a]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Perforated} (p[ e]r f[ o]*r[=a] t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Perforating}.] [L. perforatus, p. p. of perforare to perforate; per through + forare to bore. See {Bore}, v.] To bore through; to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3Perforate — Per fo*rate (p[ e]r f[ o]*r[asl]t), Perforated Per fo*ra ted (p[ e]r f[ o]*r[=a] t[e^]d), a. Pierced with a hole or holes, or with pores; having transparent dots resembling holes. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4perforate — index enter (penetrate), lancinate, penetrate, pervade, pierce (lance) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …

    Law dictionary

  • 5perforate — (v.) late 15c. (implied in perforated), from L. perforatus, pp. of perforare (see PERFORATION (Cf. perforation)). Related: Perforating …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6perforate — [v] make a hole in bore, drill, drive, hole, honeycomb*, penetrate, permeate, pierce, pit, poke full of holes*, probe, punch, puncture, shoot full of holes*, slit, stab; concept 220 Ant. close up …

    New thesaurus

  • 7perforate — ► VERB ▪ pierce and make a hole or holes in. DERIVATIVES perforation noun perforator noun. ORIGIN Latin perforare pierce through …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8perforate — [pʉr′fə rāt΄; ] for adj. [, pʉr′fərit, pʉr′fərāt΄] vt., vi. perforated, perforating [< L perforatus, pp. of perforare < per, through + forare, to BORE] 1. to make a hole or holes through, as by punching or boring; pierce; penetrate 2. to… …

    English World dictionary

  • 9perforate — [[t]pɜ͟ː(r)fəreɪt[/t]] perforates, perforating, perforated VERB To perforate something means to make a hole or holes in it. [V n] I refused to wear headphones because they can perforate your eardrums. Derived words: perforated ADJ ADJ n …

    English dictionary

  • 10perforate — verb ( rated; rating) Etymology: Latin perforatus, past participle of perforare to bore through, from per through + forare to bore more at bore Date: 1538 transitive verb 1. to make a hole through < an ulcer perforates the duodenal wall >; espe …

    New Collegiate Dictionary