incise
/in'saiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To cut into a surface with a sharp tool, especially for artistic, decorative, or surgical purposes. This action involves making a deliberate, often precise, incision or groove.
Usage
The verb "incise" is used to describe the action of cutting into a material. It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (the thing being cut into). It is most commonly used in formal, technical, or artistic contexts, such as surgery, archaeology, geology, and printmaking.
Examples
- Verb:
- The surgeon will incise the skin with a scalpel.
- Ancient artisans incised intricate patterns into the clay tablet.
- The glacier incised a deep valley into the mountainside over millennia.
Advanced Usage
- "to incise something with something": To cut into an object using a specific tool or instrument.
- The artist incised the metal plate with a fine burin for the etching.
- "to incise something into something": To cut a specific mark or design into a surface.
- He incised his initials into the bark of the old tree.
Variants and Related Words
- Incision (n): The cut or wound made by incising.
- The surgeon made a small incision.
- Incisive (adj): Describing something that is sharp, clear, and direct, like a good incision (often used for intellect or analysis).
- She asked an incisive question.
- Incisor (n): A sharp, front tooth adapted for cutting.
- The incisors are used for biting food.
Synonyms
- Cut: To make an opening or wound with a sharp-edged tool.
- Carve: To cut into a material to produce a design or shape.
- Engrave: To cut or carve a design or letters into a hard surface.
- Etch: To use acid to cut a design into a metal plate.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Incise" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. The action is typically expressed directly.)
Related Idioms
(Note: There are no common idioms that use the verb "incise" itself.)
Verb
- make an incision into by carving or cutting