martyring

Verb

martyr (third-person singular simple present martyrs, present participle martyring, simple past and past participle martyred)

1. (transitive) To make someone into a martyr by putting them to death for adhering to, or acting in accordance with, some belief, especially religious; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession.
   • Fr. Felipe Císcar Puig was a Valencian priest who is also also considered a martyr of the sacramental seal because he was martyred after keeping confessions secret during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.2017 December 16, “These priests were martyred for refusing to violate the seal of confession”, in Catholic News Agency
2. (transitive) To persecute.
   • Some religious and other minorities were martyred until extinction.
3. (transitive) To torment; to torture.
   • Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you.
     This one hand yet is left to cut your throats,
     Whiles that Lavinia ’tween her stumps doth hold
     The basin that receives your guilty blood.c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...

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