Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: percer, probably from Latin pertundere 'to make a hole through'

pierce

 verb
     
pierce
1 [transitive] to make a small hole in or through something, using an object with a sharp point:
Steam the corn until it can easily be pierced with a fork.
Rose underwent emergency surgery after a bullet pierced her lung.
pierce a hole in/through something
Pierce small holes in the base of the pot with a hot needle.
2

have your ears/nose etc pierced

DCJ to have a small hole made in your ears, nose etc so that you can wear jewellery through the hole:
I had my belly-button pierced.
pierced ears
3 [intransitive,transitive always + adverb/preposition] literary if sound or light pierces something, you suddenly hear or see it:
The darkness was pierced by the beam from the lighthouse.
A sudden scream pierced the silence.
pierce through
The men's lanterns pierced through the dense mist.
4

pierce somebody's heart

to make someone feel a strong emotion such as pain, sadness, or love:
Her memories sometimes pierced her heart.
5 [transitive] to force a way through something:
Leicester rarely threatened to pierce the Manchester United defence.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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