scarify

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The Word of the Day for January 17 is: 

scarify   \SKAIR-uh-fye\   verb
          1 : to make scratches or small cuts in (as the skin)
     2 : to lacerate the feelings of
    *3 : to cut or soften the wall of (a hard seed) to hasten germination

Example sentence:
          The gardening handbook recommends scarifying the seeds before 
planting them.

Did you know?
          You get two words for the price of one with "scarify." The first 
"scarify" appeared in English in the 14th century with the meaning "to make 
scratches or cuts in" and later developed a figurative application of "cutting" 
someone emotionally. This word is ultimately derived from a Greek word meaning 
"to scratch an outline." The second homograph turned up in print in 1785 and 
gained currency in the 20th century. This "scarify" was formed by combining 
"scare" with "-ify," possibly as a combination of "scare" and "terrify," and it 
predictably means "to scare or frighten." Neither "scarify" is terribly common 
these days, but they do turn up on occasion. 





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