Pierce
WordNet
noun
(1) 14th President of the United States (1804-1869)
verb
(2) Make a hole into
"The needle pierced her flesh"
(3) Penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
(4) Cut or make a way through
"The knife cut through the flesh"
"The path pierced the jungle"
"Light pierced through the forest"
(5) Move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply
"The cold pierced her bones"
"Her words pierced the students"
(6) Sound sharply or shrilly
"The scream pierced the night"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
percier, probably from *pertusiare, from pertusus, pp. of pertundere "to thrust or bore through," from per- "through" + tundere "to beat, pound,".