pierce-v; 3 Senses

Sense Number 1: Penetrate, cut, or bore a hole through, possibly with the intent to enter the opening.

Commentary:
NOTE: Compare carefully to senses 2 and 3, in sense 1 NP1 is not a sound, and is not abstract. A concrete NP1 must pierce NP2.

Examples:
His knife pierced the flesh.
The path pierced the jungle.
Light pierced through the forest.
It was pierced by a wagon gate built of two wings.

Mappings:
VerbNet: poke-19
FrameNet: NP
PropBank: pierce.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 4, 5

Sense Number 2: Move of affect a person's emotions or bodily feelings deeply or sharply.

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1[topic[abstract]] PIERCE NP2[patient]

Examples:
The cold pierced her bones.
Her words pierced the students.
The whole situation pierced her psyche.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NP
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2

Sense Number 3: Sound sharply or shrilly, as if stabbing.

Commentary:
NOTE: Thing piercing must be a noise. This is a subsense of Sense 1.

Examples:
The scream pierced the night.
The music pierced the fog bank, sending Brahms into the port..

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NP
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3