incise
gb/ɪnsˈaɪz/ us/ɪnsˈaɪz/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
technical
C1
action
1
make a surgical cut
To cut the skin or body with a sharp tool (usually in surgery).
Usage pattern:
incise [skin/tissue/wound] (with [instrument])
Common mistake:
Often confused with incite (to encourage) or with incision (the noun).
Synonyms
cut (More general and less medical.)
|
make an incision (Common surgical phrasing; same meaning but longer.)
|
lance (Often used for opening an abscess or boil to release fluid.)
Antonyms
suture (To close a cut after it has been made.)
|
seal (To close an opening rather than create one.)
Collocations
incise the skin
|incise the tissue
|incise the wound
|incise the lesion
|incise the abscess
|incise the fascia
|carefully incise
|sharply incise
|incise with a scalpel
|incise along the midline
Themes
medicine
|health
|surgery
Examples
- The surgeon incised the skin with a scalpel and exposed the underlying tissue.
- After cleaning the area, the doctor incised the abscess to allow it to drain.
- Incise only as deep as necessary to avoid damaging nearby nerves.
Learner examples
- The surgeon incised the skin.
- The doctor incised the wound with a scalpel.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
carve lines into a surface
To cut a design or letters into a surface.
Usage pattern:
incise [a pattern/lettering/lines] into/on [material]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for writing with ink; incise means cutting into the material, not drawing on it.
Synonyms
engrave (Very close; often suggests a finished decorative or textual result.)
|
carve (Broader; can mean removing larger pieces, not just lines.)
|
etch (Often involves acid or a chemical process rather than direct cutting.)
Antonyms
paint (Adds color on the surface rather than cutting into it.)
|
smooth (Removes marks or roughness instead of creating cuts.)
Collocations
incise a pattern
|incise lines
|incise lettering
|incise a motif
|incise an inscription
|incise into stone
|incise on metal
|incise the clay
|finely incise
|deeply incise
Themes
art
|crafts
|design
Examples
- The potter incised a simple geometric pattern into the wet clay.
- Workers incised the date into the cornerstone before it was installed.
- She incised thin guide lines on the wood to plan the carving.
Learner examples
- He incised his initials into the wood.
- They incised a pattern on the clay.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incise
IPA
GB/ɪnsˈaɪz/
US/ɪnsˈaɪz/
Syllables & stress
in - cise (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cise)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: incise
- 3rd Person Singular: incises
- Present Participle: incising
- Past: incised
Word family
Expressions
incise and drain
1/ɪnsˈaɪz ˈænd dɹˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
technical
cut open to release fluid
To cut an infected lump so the pus can come out.
Examples
- The clinician decided to incise and drain the abscess in the office.
- If antibiotics don’t help, the next step may be to incise and drain the infected cyst.
- The wound was packed after they incised and drained it.