Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MOR-TI-FI-CA'TION, n. [Fr. See Mortify.]

1. In medicine and surgery, the death of one part of an animal body, while the rest as alive; or the loss of vitality in some part of a living animal; gangrene; sphacelus. Mortification is the local death of a part of a living animal body, which if not arrested, soon extinguishes life in the whole body. We usually apply mortification to the local extinction of life in a part of a living body. The dissolution of the whole body after death, is called putrefaction.
2. In Scripture, the act of subduing the passions and appetites by penance, abstinence or painful severities inflicted on the body. The mortification of the body by fasting has been the practice of almost all nations, and the mortification of the appetites and passions by self-denial is always a Christian duty.
3. Humiliation or slight vexation; the state of being humbled or depressed by disappointment, vexation, crosses, or any thing that wounds or abases pride. It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts disordered by a tedious visit. L'Estrange. We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg, and Ratisbon. Addison.
4. Destruction of active qualities; applied to metals. [See Mortify, but I believe not used.] Bacon.