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Definition of scarify verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

scarify

verb
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪ/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪ/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪ/
(specialist)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they scarify
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪ/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪ/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪ/
he / she / it scarifies
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪz/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪz/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪz/
past simple scarified
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪd/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪd/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪd/
past participle scarified
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪd/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪd/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪd/
-ing form scarifying
 
/ˈskærɪfaɪɪŋ/,
 
/ˈskeərɪfaɪɪŋ/
 
/ˈskerɪfaɪɪŋ/
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  1. scarify something to break up an area of grass, etc. and remove pieces of material from it that are not wanted
    • Scarify the lawn vigorously with a rake.
  2. scarify something to make cuts in the surface of something, especially skin
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French scarifier, via late Latin from Greek skariphasthai ‘scratch an outline’, from skariphos ‘stylus’.
See scarify in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
ancient
adjective
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 3000
A2
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