Disembowel: meaning, definitions and examples

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disembowel

 

[ dɪsˈɛmboʊəl ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

removing entrails

To disembowel means to remove the entrails or internal organs of a creature, typically in the context of preparing animals for cooking or processing. The term can also refer to a figurative act of rendering someone powerless or ineffective, akin to removing their core essence.

Synonyms

entrail, eviscerate, gut

Examples of usage

  • The hunter carefully disemboweled the deer after the successful hunt.
  • In ancient times, enemies were sometimes disemboweled as a form of execution.
  • The chef demonstrated how to properly disembowel a fish before cooking.
  • The novel described a gruesome scene where the villain disemboweled his foe.
  • During the ritual, they would disembowel the sacrificed animal to honor the gods.

Translations

Translations of the word "disembowel" in other languages:

🇵🇹 eviscerar

🇮🇳 अवशेष निकालना

🇩🇪 ausweiden

🇮🇩 mengeluarkan isi perut

🇺🇦 виколотити нутрощі

🇵🇱 wyłupić

🇯🇵 内臓を取り出す

🇫🇷 éviscérer

🇪🇸 eviscerar

🇹🇷 iç organlarını çıkarmak

🇰🇷 내장을 제거하다

🇸🇦 إزالة الأحشاء

🇨🇿 vydlabaný

🇸🇰 vydlabať

🇨🇳 取出内脏

🇸🇮 izdolžiti

🇮🇸 kroppa

🇰🇿 ішек-қарындарын шығару

🇬🇪 ნაწლავების ამოღება

🇦🇿 qarnını açmaq

🇲🇽 eviscerar

Word origin

The word 'disembowel' originates from the Middle English term 'desemboueler', which is a combination of the prefix 'dis-' meaning 'apart' or 'asunder' and the root word 'embowel'. The root 'embowel' itself comes from the Old French 'emboueler', derived from 'boul', meaning 'belly' or 'bowels'. Historically, the act of disemboweling was considered a brutal but effective form of execution, used not just for its finality but also as a way to strike fear into adversaries. Over time, the term has split from its literal meaning to also signify a metaphorical removal of strength or purpose, as in rendering someone 'disemboweled' of their will or capacity to act.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,885, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.