mutilate
UK: ˈmjuːtɪleɪt | US: ˈmjuːtəleɪt
vt. to severely damage or injure by cutting, tearing, or removing a part
vt. to render imperfect by removing or destroying a vital part
The word "mutilate" traces back to Latin mutilare (to cut off, maim), derived from mutilus (残缺的). It originally described physical disfigurement, such as losing limbs, and later expanded metaphorically to describe severe damage or spoiling (e.g., mutilating a text). The core idea persists: irreversible destruction of integrity.
The statue was mutilated by vandals, leaving it unrecognizable.
Censorship can mutilate an artist’s original message.
The surgeon refused to mutilate the patient’s healthy tissue unnecessarily.
Ancient warriors sometimes mutilated their enemies as a warning.
Over-editing risks mutilating the essence of the manuscript.