Reengraves

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Carves a design or inscription anew into a surface that was already engraved, restoring or replacing the earlier lines
2. Cuts fresh lines into a metal or stone surface to renew an inscription that has worn away or been removed
3. Re-etches or re-carves a pattern into an object, making the lettering or image sharp and clear once more

Etymology: "Reengraves" is the third-person singular present form of "reengrave," which means to engrave again. The verb is formed from the prefix "re-," meaning "again" or "back," attached to "engrave," so the sense is simply repeating the act of cutting a design into a surface. The base verb "engrave" comes from the Old French "engraver," which combines "en-" (in) with "graver" (to carve or cut). The "graver" part is ultimately of Germanic origin, related to words for scratching or digging, so the core idea of the word is cutting a mark into a hard material such as metal, stone or wood. Because "re-" is a productive prefix in English, it can be attached to nearly any verb to mean doing it once more. "Reengrave" follows this pattern, and its meaning can be worked out directly from its two parts.