- to put to death by nailing or binding to a cross and leaving to die of exposure
- to mortify (the flesh) as by asceticism
- to be very cruel to; torment
Origin of crucifyMiddle English crucifien ; from Old French crucifier ; from Vulgar Latin an unverified form crucificare ; from Ecclesiastical Late Latin crucifigere ; from Classical Latin crux, cross + figere: see fix
transitive verbcru·ci·fied, cru·ci·fy·ing, cru·ci·fies
- To put (a person) to death by nailing or binding to a cross.
- To mortify or subdue (the flesh).
- To treat cruelly; torment: crucified the awkward child with teasing.
- To criticize harshly; pillory: The media crucified the politician for breaking a campaign pledge.
Origin of crucifyMiddle English crucifien, from Old French crucifier, alteration of Latin crucif&imacron;gere : crux, cruc-, cross + f&imacron;gere, to attach; see dh&imacron;gw- in Indo-European roots.
(third-person singular simple present crucifies, present participle crucifying, simple past and past participle crucified)
- To execute (a person) by nailing to a cross.
- To punish or otherwise express extreme anger at, especially as a scapegoat or target of outrage.
- After his public gaffe, he was crucified in the media.
- (informal) To thoroughly beat at a sport or game.
- West Ham beat Manchester City five nil - they crucified them!
Old French crucefier, from Latin crucifigo.