1. to administer an anesthetic to; to make insensible to pain
Usage: British spelling; American equivalent is 'anesthetizes'; third-person singular present tense
2. to make insensible or unresponsive to something (figurative)
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• The dentist anaesthetises the patient before beginning the procedure.
• The surgeon anaesthetises the area around the wound to prevent pain.
• Repeated exposure to violence anaesthetises viewers to its effects.
• The medication anaesthetises the nerve endings in the affected region.
• Modern anesthetics anaesthetise patients safely and effectively.
• Constant criticism can anaesthetise a person's emotional responses.