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impale

/ɪmˈpeɪl/
/ɪmˈpeɪl/
IPA guide

Other forms: impaled; impaling; impales

The verb impale means to pierce an object with a sharp stick. When you're preparing shish kebabs, you impale chunks of marinated vegetables and meat on pointy metal skewers and then cook them on a grill.

Impale comes from the Medieval Latin word impalare, which means "to push onto a stake." Impale can also mean to kill by piercing with a stake or spear. Legend has it that the only way to kill a vampire is to do exactly that: impale him with a wooden stake through the heart — and then stuff his mouth with garlic and chop off his head, too, just to be sure.

Definitions of impale
  1. verb
    pierce with a sharp stake or point
    impale a shrimp on a skewer”
    synonyms: empale, spike, transfix
    see moresee less
    types:
    pin
    pierce with a pin
    spear
    pierce with a spear
    skewer, spit
    drive a skewer through
    type of:
    pierce, thrust
    penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
  2. verb
    kill by piercing with a spear or sharp pole
    “the enemies were impaled and left to die”
    synonyms: stake
    see moresee less
    type of:
    kill
    cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
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