🪨 To throw stones ⚰️ To kill by stoning 💢 To harshly criticize

to lapidate

9.9

To throw stones at someone as a punishment or part of a ceremony

verb
/ˈlæpɪˌdeɪt/

Offensive

: lapidar

The ancient law permitted crowds to lapidate those accused of severe crimes.

Examples

Authorities warned pilgrims not to lapidate animals as part of the ceremony.
The villagers lapidated the man for his crimes.
During the festival, participants lapidate large pillars to symbolize casting out evil.
They decided to lapidate the accused as a form of punishment.
The ancient law permitted crowds to lapidate those accused of severe crimes.
They decided to lapidate the accused as a form of punishment.
The villagers lapidated the man for his crimes.

Synonyms

to pelt

vsto lapidate

12 5.5

To throw things repeatedly at a person or place

focuses on throwing specifically for punishment or ritual rather than general attack

to stone

vsto lapidate

Offensive

9 9.9

To kill someone by throwing rocks at them

involves throwing objects without aiming to kill often for ritual or punishment

Antonyms

to protect

∞ 1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

to defend

∞ 1.3

To protect people and things from attack or harm

How Violent

to stone

Offensive

9 9.9

to lapidate

Offensive

9.9

to pelt

12 5.5

Surface Forms

lapidate infinitive

lapidated past

lapidated past participle

lapidating present participle

lapidates third person singular

Morphology

lapidate = lapis (opaque) = lapid + ate

The combining form 'lapid-' (meaning 'stone') is not a standalone English root and is unfamiliar to average learners, so the verb formed with '-ate' is not transparently derived.

Etymology

The word lapidate comes from the Latin lapis, meaning 'stone', the same root you see in lapidary (a person who works with stones). It originally meant to throw stones at someone in a ritual or as punishment, so to lapidate is to 'stone' someone or something.