verb
mutilate
MYOO-tih-layt
verb
1
To severely damage or disfigure something, often by cutting off a part.
"The vandals mutilated the statue beyond repair."
2
To spoil or ruin something so badly it loses its original meaning or form.
"The editor complained that the translation had mutilated the poem's original rhythm."
How to Use Mutilate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo badly damage or disfigure, whether a body, an object, or a piece of work.
Common pairings
mutilate a body
mutilate a text
Word Forms
mutilated past tense, mutilates plural, mutilates singular
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The vandals _____ the statue beyond repair.
Etymology
From Latin mutilatus, the past participle of mutilare, "to maim," from mutilus, "maimed."