verb
etch
ehch
verb
1
To cut a design or pattern into a hard surface using acid, a needle, or another sharp tool.
"The artist etched a portrait onto a copper plate before printing it."
"Engineers etch tiny circuits onto silicon chips."
2
To fix something firmly and permanently in someone's memory.
"That image of the burning building is etched into my mind."
"The speech etched itself into the nation's memory."
How to Use Etch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut a design into a surface with acid or a sharp tool, or figuratively to leave a permanent mark on memory.
Common pairings
etch a design
etched into memory
etch onto glass
Word Forms
etched past tense, etches singular
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The artist _____ a portrait onto a copper plate before printing it.
Etymology
From Dutch etsen, from German ätzen (\"to etch\"), ultimately from the same old root as the English word \"eat\" — etching literally means letting acid \"eat\" into a surface.