# abacinate

CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abacinate
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

to blind someone by holding a red-hot metal plate or bowl close to their eyes. This was a cruel punishment used in ancient times.

For teachers: to deprive of sight by placing a red-hot copper basin or plate before the eyes. An archaic term for a specific historical method of blinding as a punitive measure.

## Examples

- The king threatened to abacinate any prisoner who refused to speak.
- Historical accounts describe how the tyrant would abacinate his political rivals to ensure they could never lead an army again.
- In the grim chronicles of medieval justice, the order to abacinate a captive was viewed as a mercy compared to execution, though it left the victim permanently disabled and dependent.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.