Pe-trif'ic, a.

a. [Fr. pétrifique, It. & Sp. petrifico.] Having power to convert into stone.

Death with his mace petrific, Cold and dry. Milton.

The cold, dry, petrific mace of a false and unfeeling philosophy. Burke.

Death, and through his own orders, had struck the only being whom he had ever loved; and the petrific mace of the fell destroyer seemed to have smitten his own heart, and withered its hopes forever. De Quincey.