PIERCE Copy link • PIERCETo bore through, perforare (general term to make a hole through, pectora, latus ense, etc.; also, to pierce [= make] windows, lumina, Cic.): forare (post-Augustan, very rare): efforare (only Col., truncum): terebrare (with a borer or otherwise): perterebrare (with a borer). To stick anything through, trajicere, transfodere, confodere, configere, transverberare (e.g., venabulo): percutere. To pierce anybody with a sword, alicui latus transfodere gladio; aliquem gladio transfigere (poetically, alicujus pectus gladio or ferro haurire): with a dagger, aliquem sica conncere, aliquem pugione percutere (for which Tac. has fodere only): one’s heart with a knife, cultrum in corde alicujus defigere. ImPROP., to wound deeply (e.g., the heart), percutere, vulnerare.