Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

puncture

2 verb
     
puncture2
1 [intransitive and transitive] if a tyre punctures, or if you puncture it, a small hole appears in it:
A piece of glass punctured the back tyre.
2 [transitive] to make a small hole in something:
One bullet punctured his lung.
Pressurized container - do not puncture.
3 [transitive] to interrupt a period of silence by making a noise:
There was a stunned silence, punctured by shrill laughter.
4 [transitive] to suddenly destroy someone's hopes or beliefs, making them feel unhappy, embarrassed, or confused:
He wasn't hurt, but his dignity was punctured.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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