maul
[verb]
Synonyms:
- ill-treat, abuse, manhandle, molest, paw
- tear, batter, claw, lacerate, mangle

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Related Words: flagellate, flail, lash, whip, bang, bash, buffet, pound, abuse, maltreat, manhandle, molest, rough (up)

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

maul /mɔːl $ mɒːl/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: maul 'hammer' (13-20 centuries), from Old French mail, from Latin malleus]

1. if an animal mauls someone, it injures them badly by tearing their flesh:
A mentally ill man was mauled after climbing into the lions’ enclosure at London Zoo.

2. to strongly criticize something, especially a new book, play etc:
Her latest book was absolutely mauled by the critics.

3. to touch someone in a rough sexual way which they think is unpleasant:
What makes you think you’ve got the right to maul me like that?

4. informal to defeat someone very easily – used especially in sports reports:
Stanford have looked quite good lately. They absolutely mauled Notre Dame last weekend.
—mauling noun [singular]:
Brown got a mauling over the government’s failure to fulfil its promises.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

maul
verb
ADV. badly, severely She was badly mauled by a lion.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲