Part 223

Pet`ri*fac"tion (?), n. [See Petrify.] 1. The process of petrifying, or changing into stone; conversion of any organic matter (animal or vegetable) into stone, or a substance of stony hardness.

2. The state or condition of being petrified.

3. That which is petrified; popularly, a body incrusted with stony matter; an incrustation.

4. Fig.: Hardness; callousness; obduracy. "Petrifaction of the soul." Cudworth.

Pet`ri*fac"tive (?), a. 1. Having the quality of converting organic matter into stone; petrifying.

2. Pertaining to, or characterized by, petrifaction.

The . . . petrifactive mutations of hard bodies.

Sir T. Browne.

Pe*trif"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈtrifique.] Petrifying; petrifactive.

Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry.

Milton.

Pet"ri*fi*cate (?), v. t. To petrify. [Obs.]

Our hearts petrificated were.

J. Hall (1646).

Pet`ri*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. pÈtrification. See Petrify.] 1. See Petrifaction.

2. Fig.: Obduracy; callousness. Hallywell.

Pet"ri*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petrified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Petrifying (?).] [L. petra rock, Gr. &?; (akin to &?; a stone) + -fy: cf. F. pÈtrifier. Cf. Parrot, Petrel, Pier.] 1. To convert, as any animal or vegetable matter, into stone or stony substance.

A river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves.

Kirwan.

2. To make callous or obdurate; to stupefy; to paralyze; to transform; as by petrifaction; as, to petrify the heart. Young. "Petrifying accuracy." Sir W. Scott.

And petrify a genius to a dunce.

Pope.

The poor, petrified journeyman, quite unconscious of what he was doing.

De Quincey.

A hideous fatalism, which ought, logically, to petrify your volition.

G. Eliot.

Pet"ri*fy, v. i. 1. To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as organic matter by calcareous deposits.

2. Fig.: To become stony, callous, or obdurate.