To engrave or carve deeply into a surface, especially as a form of marking or imprinting.
From be- (prefix) + grave (from Old English grafan meaning 'to dig' or 'to carve'). The word evolved from the physical act of cutting into stone or metal to create lasting marks.
The root 'grave' shows up in both 'engrave' and 'graveyard'—because graves were literally carved into the earth, and gravestones were carved with names. The prefix 'be-' intensifies the action, suggesting a deep, permanent carving.
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