EGAVE

piercing

About 2.43 uses per million words.

Meaning

  1. verb present participle and gerund of pierce
  2. noun gerund of pierce
  3. noun A hole made in the body so that jewellery can be worn through it.
    ear piercing
  4. noun An item of jewellery designed to be fitted through a piercing (noun sense 2).
  5. adjective Appearing to look deeply into; penetrating.
    piercing eyes
  6. adjective Of temperature, extremely cold so that it penetrates through clothing and shelter.
  7. adjective Of sound, loud and sharp; shrill.
    The piercing noise of the children could be heard two blocks from the elementary school.

Similar words

sharp cutting penetrating stabbing penetrative knifelike high high-pitched shrill incisive

Often followed by

the eyes and of cry through scream eye blue

Word family

piercingly piercings

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