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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Pierce \Pierce\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Pierced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Piercing}.] [OE. percen, F. percer, OF. percier, perchier, parchier; perh. fr. (assumed) LL. pertusiare for pertusare, fr. L. pertundere, pertusum, to beat, push, bore through; per through + tundere to beat: cf. OF. pertuisier to pierce, F. pertuis a hole. Cf. {Contuse}, {Parch}, {Pertuse}.]
1. To thrust into, penetrate, or transfix, with a pointed instrument. ''I pierce . . . her tender side.'' --Dryden.
2. To penetrate; to enter; to force a way into or through; to pass into or through; as, to pierce the enemy's line; a shot pierced the ship.
3. Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a mystery. ''Pierced with grief.'' --Pope.
Can no prayers pierce thee? --Shak.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Piercing \Pier"cing\, adjective Forcibly entering, or adapted to enter, at or by a point; perforating; penetrating; keen; -- used also figuratively; as, a piercing instrument, or thrust. ''Piercing eloquence.'' --Shak. -- {Pier"cing*ly}, adverb -- {Pier"cing*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
piercing
adjective
1: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations" [syn: {acute}, {discriminating}, {incisive}, {keen}, {knifelike}, {penetrating}, {penetrative}, {sharp}]
2: high-pitched and sharp; "piercing screams"; "a shrill whistle" [syn: {shrill}, {sharp}]
3: as physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument; "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "lancinating pain" [syn: {cutting}, {keen}, {knifelike}, {stabbing}, {lancinate}, {lancinating}]
4: suitable for cutting or piercing; "incisive teeth"; "the piercing needle" [syn: {incisive}]
5: loud and sharp; "the piercing shriek of sirens"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
271 Moby Thesaurus words for "piercing": Siberian, absorbing, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulent, acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, acupunctuation, acupuncture, acute, afflictive, agonizing, algid, apperceptive, appercipient, arctic, argute, arresting, asperous, astringent, astute, atrocious, bayonetting, below zero, biting, bitter, bitterly cold, blaring, bleak, booming, bore, boreal, boring, brisk, broach, brumal, caustic, chilling, cogent, cold, cold as charity, cold as death, cold as ice, cold as marble, corroding, corrosive, cramping, creaky, crisp, cruel, cutting, deafening, deep, deep-felt, deepgoing, discerning, distressing, double-edged, drastic, drill hole, driving, ear-piercing, ear-rending, ear-splitting, earsplitting, earthshaking, edged, effective, empiercement, enthralling, entrancing, escharotic, excessive, excruciating, exorbitant, exquisite, extravagant, extreme, farseeing, farsighted, fascinating, fierce, fixing, forceful, forcible, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughted, forethoughtful, forte, fortissimo, freezing, freezing cold, frigid, frosty, full, furious, gelid, glacial, gnawing, goring, grave, great, griping, gripping, gutsy, hard, harrowing, harsh, heartfelt, hibernal, hiemal, high, high-pitched, homefelt, howling, hurtful, hurting, hyperborean, ice-cold, ice-encrusted, icelike, icy, immoderate, impalement, imperative, impressive, incisive, inclement, indelible, intemperate, intense, irritating, keen, keening, knifelike, knifing, lancing, longheaded, longsighted, loud, loud-sounding, loudish, mordacious, mordant, nervous, nipping, nippy, nose-tickling, numbing, outrageous, painful, paroxysmal, pealing, penetrating, penetration, perceptive, percipient, perforation, perspicacious, perspicuous, pervading, pinching, piping, piquant, plangent, poignant, powerful, pricking, probing, profound, provident, punching, punchy, puncture, puncturing, pungent, racking, raw, reedy, reeking, resounding, rigorous, ringing, roaring, rough, sagacious, scathing, scorching, screaky, screaming, screeching, screechy, searching, sensational, severe, sharp, shooting, shrieking, shrieky, shrill, sinewed, sinewy, skewering, slashing, sleety, slushy, snappy, sonorous, sour, spasmatic, spasmic, spasmodic, spellbinding, splitting, squeaking, squeaky, stabbing, stentoraphonic, stentorian, stentorious, stinging, stone-cold, strident, striking, stringent, strong, subzero, supercooled, tart, telling, terebration, the sword, thin, thundering, thunderous, tonitruant, tonitruous, tormenting, torturous, tough, transfixation, transfixion, transforation, treble, trenchant, trepanning, trephining, ululant, unconscionable, understanding, vehement, venomous, vigorous, violent, virulent, vital, vitriolic, wailing, whining, whistling, window-rattling, winterbound, winterlike, wintery, wintry, withering
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