[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

mortification \mor`tifica"tion\, n. f., fr. l. mortificatio a
   killing. see mortify.
   1. the act of mortifying, or the condition of being
      mortified; especially:
      a med. the death of one part of an animal body, while
          the rest continues to live; loss of vitality in some
          part of a living animal; gangrene. --dunglison.
      b alchem.  old chem. destruction of active qualities;
          neutralization. obs. --bacon.
      c subjection of the passions and appetites, by penance,
          abstinence, or painful severities inflicted on the
          body.
          1913 webster

                the mortification of our lusts has something in
                it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is
                unreasonable.                     --tillotson.
          1913 webster

   2. deep humiliation or shame, from a loss of pride; painful
      embarassment, usually arising from exposure of a mistake;
      chagrin; vexation.
      1913 webster +pjc

   3. that which mortifies; the cause of humiliation, chagrin,
      or vexation.
      1913 webster

            it is one of the vexatious mortifications of a
            studious man to have his thoughts discovered by a
            tedious visit.                        --l'estrange.
      1913 webster

   4. scots law a gift to some charitable or religious
      institution; -- nearly synonymous with mortmain.
      1913 webster

   syn: chagrin; vexation; shame. see chagrin.
        1913 webster
see also:
mortify mortmain chagrin 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

mortification
     n 1: strong feelings of embarrassment syn: chagrin, humiliation
     2: the localized death of living cells as from infection or
        the interruption of blood supply syn: necrosis, gangrene,
         sphacelus
     3: an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or
        self-respect; "he had to undergo one humiliation after
        another" syn: humiliation
     4: christianity the act of mortifying the lusts of the flesh
        by self-denial and privation especially by bodily pain or
        discomfort inflicted on yourself
see also:
chagrin humiliation necrosis gangrene sphacelus 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

96 moby thesaurus words for "mortification":
   albigensianism, catharism, day of atonement, franciscanism,
   sabbatarianism, trappism, waldensianism, yoga, yom kippur,
   abasement, abashment, abstinence, anchoritic monasticism,
   anchoritism, asceticism, austerity, awkwardness, caries, carrion,
   chagrin, cold purgatorial fires, comedown, confusion, debasement,
   decay, decomposition, deflation, descent, discomfiture,
   discomposure, disconcertedness, disconcertion, disconcertment,
   discountenance, disgrace, distress, disturbance, dry gangrene,
   dry rot, dump, embarrassment, eremitism, fasting, flagellation,
   foulness, gangrene, gas gangrene, hair shirt, hangdog look,
   humbled pride, humiliation, letdown, lustration, maceration,
   mendicantism, moist gangrene, monachism, monasticism, necrosis,
   necrotic tissue, noma, penance, penitence, penitential act,
   penitential exercise, purgation, purgatory, puritanism, put-down,
   putrefaction, putrescence, putridity, putridness, rancidity,
   rancidness, rankness, repentance, rigor, rot, rottenness,
   sackcloth and ashes, self-abasement, self-abnegation, self-denial,
   self-diminishment, self-mortification, setdown, shame,
   shamefacedness, shamefastness, slough, sphacelation, sphacelus,
   spoilage, tooth decay, voluntary poverty

[4] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

mortification, scotch law. this term is nearly synonymous with mortmain. 

Mortification >> M Words
Mortification, definition of term: Mortification
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