Adjacent Words

Mortification definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MORTIFICA'TION, n. [See Mortify.]
1. In medicine and surgery, the death and consequent putrefaction of one part of any animal body, while the rest is alive; or the loss of heat and action in some part of a living animal, followed by a dissolution of organic texture; gangrene; sphacelus. Mortification is the local or partial death of a living animal body, and if not arrested, soon extinguishes life in the whole body. We usually apply mortification to the local extinction of life and loss or organic texture in a living body. The dissolution of the whole body after death, is called putrefaction.
2. In Scripture, the act of subduing the passions and appetites by penance, abstinence or painful severities inflicted on the body. The mortification of the body by fasting has been the practice of almost all nations, and the mortification of the appetites and passions by self-denial is always a christian duty.
3. Humiliation or slight vexation; the state of being humbled or depressed by disappointment, vexation, crosses, or any thing that wounds or abases pride.
It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts disordered by a tedious visit.
We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg and Ratisbon.
4. Destruction of active qualities; applied to metals. [See Mortify; but I believe not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: strong feelings of embarrassment [syn: chagrin, humiliation, mortification]
2: the localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply) [syn: necrosis, mortification, gangrene, sphacelus]
3: an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or self-respect; "he had to undergo one humiliation after another" [syn: humiliation, mortification]
4: (Christianity) the act of mortifying the lusts of the flesh by self-denial and privation (especially by bodily pain or discomfort inflicted on yourself)

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 14th century 1. the subjection and denial of bodily passions and appetites by abstinence or self-inflicted pain or discomfort 2. necrosis, gangrene 3. a. a sense of humiliation and shame caused by something that wounds one's pride or self-respect b. the cause of such humiliation or shame

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mortification Mor`ti*fi*ca"tion, n. [F., fr. L. mortificatio a killing. See Mortify.] 1. The act of mortifying, or the condition of being mortified; especially: (a) (Med.) The death of one part of an animal body, while the rest continues to live; loss of vitality in some part of a living animal; gangrene. --Dunglison. (b) (Alchem. & Old Chem.) Destruction of active qualities; neutralization. [Obs.] --Bacon. (c) Subjection of the passions and appetites, by penance, absistence, or painful severities inflicted on the body. The mortification of our lusts has something in it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is unreasonable. --Tillotson. (d) Hence: Deprivation or depression of self-approval; abatement or pride; humiliation; chagrin; vexation. We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg, and Ratisbon. --Addison. 2. That which mortifies; the cause of humiliation, chagrin, or vexation. It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts discovered by a tedious visit. --L'Estrange. 3. (Scots Law) A gift to some charitable or religious institution; -- nearly synonymous with mortmain. Syn: Chagrin; vexation; shame. See Chagrin.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Mortification is a strong feeling of shame and embarrassment. The chairman tried to disguise his mortification. N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. (Med.) Gangrene, sphacelus, necrosis. 2. Discontent, dissatisfaction, displeasure, vexation, chagrin, disappointment, humiliation, trouble, shame. 3. Humiliation, self-abasement, self-denial.

Moby Thesaurus

Albigensianism, Catharism, Day of Atonement, Franciscanism, Sabbatarianism, Trappism, Waldensianism, Yoga, Yom Kippur, abasement, abashment, abstinence, anchoritic monasticism, anchoritism, asceticism, austerity, awkwardness, caries, carrion, chagrin, cold purgatorial fires, comedown, confusion, debasement, decay, decomposition, deflation, descent, discomfiture, discomposure, disconcertedness, disconcertion, disconcertment, discountenance, disgrace, distress, disturbance, dry gangrene, dry rot, dump, embarrassment, eremitism, fasting, flagellation, foulness, gangrene, gas gangrene, hair shirt, hangdog look, humbled pride, humiliation, letdown, lustration, maceration, mendicantism, moist gangrene, monachism, monasticism, necrosis, necrotic tissue, noma, penance, penitence, penitential act, penitential exercise, purgation, purgatory, puritanism, put-down, putrefaction, putrescence, putridity, putridness, rancidity, rancidness, rankness, repentance, rigor, rot, rottenness, sackcloth and ashes, self-abasement, self-abnegation, self-denial, self-diminishment, self-mortification, setdown, shame, shamefacedness, shamefastness, slough, sphacelation, sphacelus, spoilage, tooth decay, voluntary poverty