im ‧ pale /ɪmˈpeɪl/ BrE AmE verb [transitive often passive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: empaler , from Medieval Latin impalare , from Latin palus 'pointed stick' ]
if someone or something is impaled, a sharp pointed object goes through them
be impaled on something
Their heads were impaled on Charles Bridge as a warning to others.
—impalement noun [uncountable and countable]