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enter, at or by a point; perforating; penetrating; keen; -- used also figuratively; as, a piercing instrument, or thrust. "Piercing eloquence." Shak. -- Pier"cing*ly, adv. -- Pier"cing*ness, n.

Formed or moving like, or in any respect resembling, an arrow; swift; darting; piercing. "His arrowy tongue." Cowper. By the blue rushing of the arrowy Rhone. Byron. With arrowy vitalities, vivacities, and ingenuities. Carlyle.

A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.

A short blunt arrow for killing birds without piercing them. Hence: Anything which smites without penetrating. Shak.

Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as, a bitter cold day.

A gale of piercingly cold wind, usually accompanied with fine and blinding snow; a furious blast. [U. S.]

An implement of steel, bone, ivory, etc., with a sharp point, for making holes by piercing; a

jectile with small velocity, used for the purpose of breaking or smashing in, rather than piercing, the object aimed at, as the side of a ship. It has no trunnions, but is supported on its carriage by a bolt passing through a loop on its under side.

of being close. Half stifled by the closeness of the room. Swift. We rise not against the piercing judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or closeness of Tiberius. Bacon. An affectation of closeness and covetousness. Addison.

The act of piercing with a drill.

An iron needle for piercing the cartridge of a cannon before priming.

Directed upward; raised; uplifted. His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view Superior worlds, and look all nature through. Pope.

A small, sharp-pointed instrument used in piercing eyelet holes; a stiletto.

A stop in an organ, having a flutelike sound. Flute bit, a boring tool for piercing ebony, rosewood, and other hard woods. -- Flute pipe, an organ pipe having a sharp lip or wind-cutter which imparts vibrations to Knight.

e prongs or tines, which are usually of metal, parallel and slightly curved; -- used from piercing, holding, taking up, or pitching anything.

To look with fierce, piercing eyes; to stare earnestly, angrily, or fiercely. And eye that scorcheth all it glares upon. Byron.

cts having a jointed proboscis, including four sharp stylets (mandibles and maxillæ), for piercing. In many of the species (Heteroptera) the front wings are partially coriaceous, and different from the others.

To set; to fasten or fix by piercing or thrusting in; as, to infix a sting, spear, or dart. Shak. The fatal dart a ready passage found, And deep within her heart infixed the wound. Dryden.

ntensify colors; to intensify a photographic negative; to intensify animosity. Bacon. How piercing is the sting of pride By want embittered and intensified. Longfellow.

owardly, nocturnal, and gregarious. They feed largely on carrion, and are noted for their piercing and dismal howling.