maul[verb]Synonyms:- ill-treat, abuse, manhandle, molest, paw
- tear, batter, claw, lacerate, mangle
Related Words: flagellate,
flail,
lash,
whip,
bang,
bash,
buffet,
pound,
abuse,
maltreat,
manhandle,
molest,
rough (up) [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
maul /mɔːl $ mɒːl/
verb [transitive][
Date: 1300-1400;
Origin: maul 'hammer' (13-20 centuries), from Old French mail, from Latin malleus]
1. if an animal mauls someone, it injures them badly by tearing their flesh:
A mentally ill man was mauled after climbing into the lions’ enclosure at London Zoo.2. to strongly criticize something, especially a new book, play etc:
Her latest book was absolutely mauled by the critics.3. to touch someone in a rough sexual way which they think is unpleasant:
What makes you think you’ve got the right to maul me like that?4. informal to defeat someone very easily – used especially in sports reports:
Stanford have looked quite good lately. They absolutely mauled Notre Dame last weekend.—mauling noun [singular]:
Brown got a mauling over the government’s failure to fulfil its promises. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲