verb
pulverize
PUHL-vuh-ryze/ˈpʌlvəraɪz/
To reduce something to fine fragments by crushing.
The cook pulverizes whole spices with a heavy mortar and pestle.
Etymology
The pieces describe making something into dust or powder. The word therefore names crushing or grinding by its result: the original material is reduced to fine particles.
In context
… it alone can't pulverize everything the typical bird eats grit and small rocks are picked up as birds peck and feed this mineral matter accumulates in the gizzard and the particles help pulverize the seeds and grain …
More examples
- Pulverize the crackers before mixing them with melted butter.
- She pulverizes dried herbs with a mortar and pestle.
- The old concrete is pulverized and reused as road material.
Forms
pulverize · pulverizes · pulverized · pulverizing
pulverization noun — The process of crushing material into powder.
pulverizer noun — A machine that crushes material into powder.