[mu.ti.late] vt -lat.ed ; -lat.ing [L mutilatus, pp. of mutilare, fr. mutilus truncated, maimed] (1534) 1: to cut up or alter radically so as to make imperfect "the child mutilated the book with his scissors"
2: to cut off or permanently destroy a limb or essential part of: cripple syn see maim -- mu.ti.la.tion n -- mu.ti.la.tor n