terrorise

See also: terrorisé

English

Alternative forms

• terrorize (US, Oxford British English)

Etymology

terror +‎ -ise

Verb

terrorise (third-person singular simple present terrorises, present participle terrorising, simple past and past participle terrorised) (non-Oxford British English, transitive)

1. To inflict someone with terror; to terrify.
   • 1922 February, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
     , Episode 16

     Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head…

2. To coerce (someone) by using threats or violence.

Synonyms

• (fill with terror) petrify, terrify
• (coerce by threats or violence) bully, hector

Related terms

• terrorism
• terrorist

Translations

fill with terror — see terrorize

Anagrams

• roisterer

French

Pronunciation

• Homophones: terrorisent, terrorises

Verb

terrorise

1. inflection of terroriser:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative