— scarifier , n.
/skar"euh fuy'/ , v.t., scarified, scarifying .
1. to make scratches or superficial incisions in (the skin, a wound, etc.), as in vaccination.
2. to lacerate by severe criticism.
3. to loosen (the soil) with a type of cultivator.
4. to hasten the sprouting of (hard-covered seeds) by making incisions in the seed coats.
5. to break up (a road surface).
[ 1400-50; late ME scarifie scarifier scarificare, alter. of L scarifare, scariphare to make scratches skariphâsthai to sketch, deriv. of skáriphos stylus; see -IFY ]