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to lapidate

to lapidate

9.9
To kill someone by throwing stones at them
  • verb
  • /ˈlæpɪˌdeɪt/
  • Offensive
translation icon : lapidar hasta la muerte
  • In some historical accounts, traitors were lapidated as a public spectacle.

Examples

  • The community refused to lapidate the accused, despite pressure from outside authorities.

  • The ancient law permitted a mob to lapidate those convicted of adultery.

  • They decided to lapidate the traitor publicly.

  • The crowd lapidated the accused thief without mercy.

  • The villagers decided to lapidate the criminal as punishment for his actions.

  • In her novel, the author described an ancient practice where those found guilty were lapidated by the community.

  • The news report detailed how the mob threatened to lapidate anyone who spoke out against their leader.

Synonyms

to stone
vsto lapidate
  • Offensive
9 9.9

To kill someone by throwing rocks at them

is usually used as a formal method of execution rather than general punishment

Antonyms

1.0

Rescue someone or something from danger

77 3.5

Decide not to hurt someone even though you could

How Violent

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, 'stone', and in history it named the brutal punishment where people were killed by thrown stones. So, to lapidate can mean to kill someone by stoning.