释义 |
Definition of petrify in English: petrifyverbpetrifying, petrifies, petrified ˈpɛtrɪfʌɪˈpɛtrəˌfaɪ [with object]1Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit. 使变成石头,使石化 Example sentencesExamples - The chemical components used to artificially petrify wood can be found in natural settings around volcanoes and within sedimentary strata.
- As the ham was petrified within ‘historic time’, it was excluded on the basis of the first of these definitions from being called a fossil.
- The charcoal had kept the hull dry and the salt had petrified it.
Synonyms ossified, fossilized rare lapidified 2Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move. 使惊呆,把…吓呆 his icy controlled quietness petrified her 他那种冰冷的有克制的沉默把她吓呆了。 Example sentencesExamples - Being young, I was petrified of sitting in the car as it went through the car wash.
- However, politicians are still petrified of being accused of being too soft on drugs.
- He is the oldest brother, and I went to him many, many times, for advice when I was petrified to go talk to my dad.
- There were so many dogs, I was petrified of getting bitten - I think I've broken the record for a lap around that park.
- Spotting a snake in the grass is never simple, but it's easier to do, it seems, if you're petrified of serpents.
- Conventional wisdom would be to go up and talk to her, but I'm petrified of failure.
- Now he is petrified of fireworks and the noise they make and was prompted to write to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about his fears.
- The police have given Mr Bernasconi a panic alarm for his house but he says he is petrified to go out.
- You are petrified of letting people see how vulnerable you can be and have a very bad case of stage fright.
- As a matter of fact, she was petrified of people informing her of things she had done wrong, even if it came with suggestions on how to improve.
- Although I was petrified of my father, I'd still sneak it in and my grandfather would smack me on the back of my head as my father gave me the eye!
- Now my daughter is absolutely petrified of fireworks and of the noises they make.
- Her hair was turned into a mass of poisonous snakes and her general appearance became so horrifying that anyone who looked upon her was petrified with terror.
- He enjoyed a long career in engineering, particularly involving locomotives, but as a child was petrified of trains.
- My mother is petrified of hospitals and with all the recent bad press I think the look on her face at A&E said it all.
- ‘We were petrified he was going to use the gun,’ she said.
- But I'm also petrified of joblessness, insecurity, and drastic changes happening all at once.
- I am petrified of heights and last year did an abseil which I found really scary.
- She is absolutely petrified and too afraid to leave her own home.
- Obviously we were petrified that a collector would find out where the nest was and raid it.
Synonyms terrified, terror-stricken, terror-struck, horrified, horror-stricken, horror-struck, scared/frightened out of one's wits, scared witless, scared/frightened to death, aghast, appalled paralysed, stunned, stupefied, transfixed, benumbed, frozen terrify, horrify, frighten, scare, scare to death, scare someone out of their wits, scare witless, scare the living daylights out of, frighten the life out of, strike terror into, fill with fear, put the fear of God into, make someone's blood run cold, chill someone's blood, panic, throw into a panic, alarm, appal paralyse, stun, stupefy, transfix informal scare the pants off British informal throw into a blue funk, put the wind up Irish informal scare the bejesus out of archaic affright
OriginLate Middle English: from French pétrifier, from medieval Latin petrificare, from Latin petra 'rock', from Greek. The original sense of petrify was ‘to convert into stone’, from the Latin and Greek root petra ‘rock’. The sense ‘to terrify, astonish’ dates from the mid 17th century. Petroleum is from the same source—it is found in rocks. The second part is Latin oleum ‘olive oil’ (see oil).
Definition of petrify in US English: petrifyverbˈpetrəˌfīˈpɛtrəˌfaɪ [with object]1Change (organic matter) into a stony concretion by encrusting or replacing its original substance with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit. 使变成石头,使石化 Example sentencesExamples - The charcoal had kept the hull dry and the salt had petrified it.
- As the ham was petrified within ‘historic time’, it was excluded on the basis of the first of these definitions from being called a fossil.
- The chemical components used to artificially petrify wood can be found in natural settings around volcanoes and within sedimentary strata.
2Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move. 使惊呆,把…吓呆 his icy controlled quietness petrified her 他那种冰冷的有克制的沉默把她吓呆了。 Example sentencesExamples - You are petrified of letting people see how vulnerable you can be and have a very bad case of stage fright.
- Being young, I was petrified of sitting in the car as it went through the car wash.
- Her hair was turned into a mass of poisonous snakes and her general appearance became so horrifying that anyone who looked upon her was petrified with terror.
- But I'm also petrified of joblessness, insecurity, and drastic changes happening all at once.
- Spotting a snake in the grass is never simple, but it's easier to do, it seems, if you're petrified of serpents.
- He enjoyed a long career in engineering, particularly involving locomotives, but as a child was petrified of trains.
- My mother is petrified of hospitals and with all the recent bad press I think the look on her face at A&E said it all.
- As a matter of fact, she was petrified of people informing her of things she had done wrong, even if it came with suggestions on how to improve.
- Although I was petrified of my father, I'd still sneak it in and my grandfather would smack me on the back of my head as my father gave me the eye!
- She is absolutely petrified and too afraid to leave her own home.
- The police have given Mr Bernasconi a panic alarm for his house but he says he is petrified to go out.
- Now my daughter is absolutely petrified of fireworks and of the noises they make.
- I am petrified of heights and last year did an abseil which I found really scary.
- He is the oldest brother, and I went to him many, many times, for advice when I was petrified to go talk to my dad.
- Now he is petrified of fireworks and the noise they make and was prompted to write to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about his fears.
- However, politicians are still petrified of being accused of being too soft on drugs.
- ‘We were petrified he was going to use the gun,’ she said.
- There were so many dogs, I was petrified of getting bitten - I think I've broken the record for a lap around that park.
- Obviously we were petrified that a collector would find out where the nest was and raid it.
- Conventional wisdom would be to go up and talk to her, but I'm petrified of failure.
Synonyms terrify, horrify, frighten, scare, scare to death, scare someone out of their wits, scare witless, scare the living daylights out of, frighten the life out of, strike terror into, fill with fear, put the fear of god into, make someone's blood run cold, chill someone's blood, panic, throw into a panic, alarm, appal terrified, terror-stricken, terror-struck, horrified, horror-stricken, horror-struck, frightened out of one's wits, scared out of one's wits, scared witless, frightened to death, scared to death, aghast, appalled
OriginLate Middle English: from French pétrifier, from medieval Latin petrificare, from Latin petra ‘rock’, from Greek. |