First Known Use: 1509
Dictionary
engrave
verb en·grave \in-ˈgrāv, en-\
: to cut or carve lines, letters, designs, etc., onto or into a hard surface
en·graveden·grav·ing
Full Definition of ENGRAVE
transitive verb
1
a : to impress deeply as if with a graver <the incident was engraved in his memory> b : to form by incision (as on wood or metal)
2
a : to cut figures, letters, or designs on for printing; also : to print from an engraved plate <an engraved invitation> b : photoengrave
— en·grav·er noun
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Origin of ENGRAVE
Middle French engraver, from en- + graver to grave, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English grafan to grave
Rhymes with ENGRAVE
airwave, behave, brain wave, cold wave, concave, conclave, deprave, dissave, drawshave, enclave, enslave, exclave, ground wave, heat wave, margrave, new wave, octave, outbrave, Palgrave, palsgrave, shock wave, shortwave, sine wave, sky wave, sound wave, spokeshave, S wave, wage slave, white slave, Wind Cave
ENGRAVE Defined for Kids
engrave
verb en·grave \in-ˈgrāv\
en·graveden·grav·ing
Definition of ENGRAVE for Kids
1
: to cut or carve (as letters or designs) on a hard surface <an engraved pattern>
2
: to cut (as letters or designs) on or into <The jeweler engraved the ring with her initials.>
3
: to print from a cut surface <an engraved invitation>
— en·grav·er noun
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