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Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary - Contents
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    INFLAMMABLENESS — INGENUITY

    INFLAMMABLENESS, n. The quality of being susceptible of flame, or capable of taking fire; inflammability.

    INFLAMMATION, n. [L. inflammatio.]

    1. The act of setting on fire or inflaming.NWAD INFLAMMATION.2

    2. The state of being in flame.NWAD INFLAMMATION.3

    3. In medicine and surgery, a redness and swelling of any part of an animal body, attended with heat, pain and febrile symptoms.NWAD INFLAMMATION.4

    4. Violent excitement; heat; animosity; turbulence; as an inflammation of the body politic, or of parties.NWAD INFLAMMATION.5

    INFLAMMATORY, a. Inflaming; tending to excite heat or inflammation; as medicines of an inflammatory nature.

    1. Accompanied with preternatural heat and excitement of arterial action; as an inflammatory fever or disease.NWAD INFLAMMATORY.2

    2. Tending to excite anger, animosity, tumult or sedition; as inflammatory libels, writings, speeches or publications.NWAD INFLAMMATORY.3

    INFLATE, v.t. [L. inflatus, from inflo; in and flo, to blow.]

    1. To swell or distend by injecting air; as, to inflate a bladder; to inflate the lungs.NWAD INFLATE.2

    2. To fill with the breath; to blow in.NWAD INFLATE.3

    3. To swell; to puff up; to elate; as, to inflate one with pride or vanity.NWAD INFLATE.4

    INFLATE, INFLATED, a. In botany, puffed; hollow and distended; as a perianth, corol, nectary, or pericarp.

    INFLATED, pp. Swelled or distended with air; puffed up.

    INFLATING, ppr. Distending with air; puffing up.

    INFLATION, n. [L. inflatio.] The act of inflating.

    1. The state of being distended with air injected or inhaled.NWAD INFLATION.2

    2. The state of being puffed up, as with vanity.NWAD INFLATION.3

    3. Conceit.NWAD INFLATION.4

    INFLECT, v.t. [L. inflecto; in and flecto, to bend.]

    1. To bend; to turn from a direct line or course.NWAD INFLECT.2

    Are not the rays of the sun reflected, refracted and inflected by one and the same principle?NWAD INFLECT.3

    2. In grammar, to vary a noun or a verb in its terminations; to decline, as a noun or adjective, or to conjugate, as a verb.NWAD INFLECT.4

    3. To modulate, as the voice.NWAD INFLECT.5

    INFLECTED, pp. Bent or turned from a direct line or course; as an inflected ray of light; varied in termination.

    INFLECTING, ppr. Bending or turning from its course; varying in termination; modulating, as the voice.

    INFLECTION, n. [L. inflectio.] The act of bending or turning from a direct line or course.

    1. In optics, a property of light by which its rays, when they approach a body, are bent towards it or from it.NWAD INFLECTION.2

    2. In grammar, the variation of nouns, etc., by declension, and verbs by conjugation.NWAD INFLECTION.3

    3. Modulation of the voice in speaking.NWAD INFLECTION.4

    More commonly inflection gives significance to tones.NWAD INFLECTION.5

    Point of inflection, in geometry, the point where a curve begins to bend the contrary way.NWAD INFLECTION.6

    INFLECTIVE, a. Having the power of bending; as the inflective quality of the air.

    INFLEXED, a. [L. inflexus.] Turned; bent.

    INFLEXIBILITY, INFLEXIBLENESS, n. [L. in and flexibilis, from flecto, to bend.]

    1. The quality of being inflexible, or not capable of being bent; unyielding stiffness.NWAD INFLEXIBILITY.2

    2. Obstinacy of will or temper; firmness of purpose that will not yield to importunity or persuasion; unbending pertinacity.NWAD INFLEXIBILITY.3

    INFLEXIBLE, a. [L. inflexibilis.]

    1. That cannot be bent; as an inflexible oak.NWAD INFLEXIBLE.2

    2. That will not yield to prayers or arguments; firm in purpose; not to be prevailed on; that cannot be turned; as a man of upright and inflexible temper.NWAD INFLEXIBLE.3

    3. Not to be changed or altered.NWAD INFLEXIBLE.4

    The nature of things is inflexible.NWAD INFLEXIBLE.5

    INFLEXIBLY, adv. With a firmness that resists all importunity or persuasion; with unyielding pertinaciousness; inexorable. A judge should be inflexibly just and impartial.

    INFLEXION. [See Inflection.]

    INFLICT, v.t. [L. inflictus, infligo; in and fligo, to strike; Eng. to flog.]

    To lay on; to throw or send on; to apply; as, to inflict pain or disgrace; to inflict punishment on an offender.NWAD INFLICT.2

    To inflict an office, condition, knowledge, tenderness, etc. on one, as used by Chesterfield, is not an authorized use of the word.NWAD INFLICT.3

    INFLICTED, pp. Laid on; applied; as punishment or judgments.

    INFLICTER, n. He who lays on or applies.

    INFLICTING, ppr. Laying on; applying.

    INFLICTION, n. [L. inflictio.] The act of laying on or applying; as the infliction of torment or of punishment.

    1. The punishment applied.NWAD INFLICTION.2

    His severest inflictions are in themselves acts of justice and righteousness.NWAD INFLICTION.3

    INFLICTIVE, a. Tending or able to inflict.

    INFLORESCENCE, n. [L. inflorescens, infloresco, infloreo; in and floreo, to blossom.]

    1. In botany, a mode of flowering, or the manner in which flowers are supported on their foot-stalks or peduncles.NWAD INFLORESCENCE.2

    Inflorescence affords an excellent characteristic mark in distinguishing the species of plants.NWAD INFLORESCENCE.3

    2. A flowering; the unfolding of blossoms.NWAD INFLORESCENCE.4

    INFLUENCE, n. [L. influens, influo, to flow in; in and fluo, to flow.] Literally, a flowing in, into or on, and referring to substances spiritual or too subtil to be visible, like inspiration. Hence the word was formerly followed by into.

    God hath his influence into the very essence of all things.NWAD INFLUENCE.2

    It is not followed by on or with.NWAD INFLUENCE.3

    1. In a general sense, influence denotes power whose operation is invisible and known only by its effects, or a power whose cause and operation are unseen.NWAD INFLUENCE.4

    2. The power which celestial bodies are supposed to exert on terrestrial; as the influence of the planets on the birth and fortunes of men; an exploded doctrine of astrology.NWAD INFLUENCE.5

    3. Moral power; power of truth operating on the mind, rational faculties or will, in persuading or dissuading, as the influence of motives, of arguments, or of prayer. We say, arguments had no influence on the jury. The magistrate is not popular; he has no influence with the people; or he has great influence with the prince.NWAD INFLUENCE.6

    4. Physical power; power that affects natural bodies by unseen operation; as, the rays of the sun have an influence in whitening cloth, and in giving a green color to vegetables.NWAD INFLUENCE.7

    5. Power acting on sensibility; as the influence of love or pity in sympathy.NWAD INFLUENCE.8

    6. Spiritual power, or the immediate power of God on the mind; as divine influence; the influences of the Holy Spirit.NWAD INFLUENCE.9

    INFLUENCE, v.t. To move by physical power operating by unseen laws or force; to affect.

    These experiments succeed after the same manner in vacuo, as in the open air, and therefore are not influenced by the weight or pressure of the atmosphere.NWAD INFLUENCE.11

    1. To move by moral power; to act on and affect, as the mind or will, in persuading or dissuading; to induce. Men are influenced by motives of interest or pleasure. An orator may influence the people to take arms, or to abandon an enterprise.NWAD INFLUENCE.12

    2. To move, as the passions, as, to influence one by pity.NWAD INFLUENCE.13

    3. To lead or direct. This revelation is sufficient to influence our faith and practice.NWAD INFLUENCE.14

    INFLUENCED, pp. Moved; excited; affected; persuaded; induced.

    INFLUENCING, ppr. Moving; affecting; inducing.

    INFLUENT, a. Flowing in. [Little used.]

    INFLUENTIAL, a. Exerting influence or power by invisible operation, as physical causes on bodies, or as moral causes on the mind. It is particularly used to express the operation of moral causes.

    Influential characters, persons who possess the power of inclining or controlling the minds of others.NWAD INFLUENTIAL.2

    INFLUENTIALLY, adv. By means of influence, so as to incline, move or direct.

    INFLUENZA, n. An epidemic catarrh. The influenza of October and November, 1789, and that of April and May, 1790, were very general or universal in the United States, and unusually severe. A like influenza prevailed in the winters of 1825 and 1826.

    INFLUX, n. [L. influxus, influo; in and fluo, to flow.]

    1. The act of flowing in; as an influx of light or other fluid.NWAD INFLUX.2

    2. Infusion; intromission.NWAD INFLUX.3

    The influx of the knowledge of God, in relation to everlasting life, is infinitely of moment.NWAD INFLUX.4

    3. Influence, power. [Not used.]NWAD INFLUX.5

    4. A coming in; introduction; importation in abundance; as a great influx of goods into a country, or an influx of gold and silver.NWAD INFLUX.6

    INFLUXION, n. Infusion; intromission.

    INFLUXIOUS, a. Influential. [Not used.]

    INFLUXIVE, a. Having influence, or having a tendency to flow in.

    INFOLD, v.i. [in and fold.] To involve; to wrap up or enwrap; to inclose.

    Infold his limbs in bands.NWAD INFOLD.2

    1. To clasp with the arms; to embrace.NWAD INFOLD.3

    Noble Banco, let me infold thee,NWAD INFOLD.4

    And hold thee to my heart.NWAD INFOLD.5

    INFOLDED, pp. Involved; enwrapped; inclosed; embraced.

    INFOLDING, ppr. Involving; wrapping up; clasping.

    INFOLIATE, v.t. [L. in and folium, a leaf.] To cover or overspread with leaves. [Not much used.]

    INFORM, v.t. [L. informo, to shape; in and formo, forma, form.]

    Properly, to give form or shape to, but in this sense not used.NWAD INFORM.2

    1. To animate; to give life to; to actuate by vital powers.NWAD INFORM.3

    Let others better mold the running massNWAD INFORM.4

    Of metals, and inform the breathing brass.NWAD INFORM.5

    Breath informs this fleeting frame.NWAD INFORM.6

    --Breathes in our soul, informs our vital part.NWAD INFORM.7

    [This use is chiefly or wholly poetical.]NWAD INFORM.8

    2. To instruct; to tell to; to acquaint; to communicate knowledge to; to make known to by word or writing; usually followed by of. Before we judge, we should be well informed of the facts relating to the case. A messenger arrived and informed the commander of the state of the troops. Letters from Europe inform us of the commencement of hostilities between the Persians and Turks.NWAD INFORM.9

    3. To communicate a knowledge of facts to one by way of accusation.NWAD INFORM.10

    Tertullus informed the governor against Paul. Acts 24:1.NWAD INFORM.11

    In this application the verb is usually intransitive; as, A informed against B.NWAD INFORM.12

    INFORM, v.i. To give intelligence.

    He might either teach in the same manner, or inform how he had been taught--NWAD INFORM.14

    To inform against, to communicate facts by way of accusation; to give intelligence of a breach of law. Two persons came to the magistrate, and informed against A.NWAD INFORM.15

    INFORM, a. [L. informis.] Without regular form; shapeless; ugly.

    INFORMAL, a. [in and formal.] Not in the regular or usual form; as an informal writing; informal proceedings.

    1. Not in the usual manner; not according to custom; as an informal visit.NWAD INFORMAL.2

    2. Not with the official forms; as the secretary made to the envoy an informal communication.NWAD INFORMAL.3

    INFORMALITY, n. [from informal.] Want of regular or customary form. The informality of legal proceedings may render them void.

    INFORMALLY, adv. In an irregular or informal manner; without the usual forms.

    INFORMANT, n. One who informs, or gives intelligence.

    1. One who offers an accusation. [See Informer, which is generally used.]NWAD INFORMANT.2

    INFORMTION, n. [L. informatio.]

    1. Intelligence; notice, news or advice communicated by word or writing. We received information of the capture of the ship by an arrival at Boston. The information by the messenger is confirmed by letters.NWAD INFORMTION.2

    2. Knowledge derived from reading or instruction.NWAD INFORMTION.3

    He should get some information in the subject he intends to handle.NWAD INFORMTION.4

    3. Knowledge derived from the senses or from the operation of the intellectual faculties.NWAD INFORMTION.5

    The active informations of the intellect--NWAD INFORMTION.6

    4. Communication of facts for the purpose of accusation; a charge or accusation exhibited to a magistrate or court. An information is the accusation of a common informer or of a private person; the accusation of a grand jury is called an indictment or a presentment.NWAD INFORMTION.7

    INFORMATIVE, a. Having power to animate.

    INFORMED, pp. Told; instructed; made acquainted.

    INFORMER, n. One who animates, informs or gives intelligence.

    1. One who communicates, or whose duty it is to communicate to a magistrate a knowledge of the violations of law, and bring the offenders to trial.NWAD INFORMER.2

    INFORMIDABLE, a. [in and formidable.] Not formidable; not to be feared or dreaded.

    Foe not informidable.NWAD INFORMIDABLE.2

    INFORMING, ppr. Giving notice or intelligence; telling.

    1. Communicating facts by way of accusation.NWAD INFORMING.2

    Informing officer, is an officer whose duty it is to inform against persons for breaches of law, as an attorney-general, a sheriff, constable, or grand juror.NWAD INFORMING.3

    A common informer, is any person who informs against another.NWAD INFORMING.4

    INFORMITY, n. [L. informis.] Want of regular form; shapelessness.

    INFORMOUS, a. [L. informis.] Of no regular form or figure; shapeless.

    INFORTUNATE, a. [L. infortunatus.] Unlucky; unfortunate. [The latter is commonly used.]

    INFORTUNATELY, adv. Unfortunately. [Not used.]

    INFORTUNE, n. Misfortune. [Not used.]

    INFRACT, v.t. [L. infractus, from infringo; in and frango, to break.] To break; to violate. [This is synonymous with infringe; it is an unnecessary word and little used.]

    INFRACTION, n. [L. infractio. See Infract.]

    The act of breaking; breach; violation; non-observance; as an infraction of a treaty, compact, agreement or law.NWAD INFRACTION.2

    INFRACTOR, n. One that violates an agreement, etc.

    INFRAMUNDANE, a. [L. infra, below and mundanus, mundus, the world.] Lying or being beneath the world.

    INFRANGIBLE, a. [in and frangible.]

    1. Not to be broken or separated into parts; as infrangible atoms.NWAD INFRANGIBLE.2

    2. Not to be violated.NWAD INFRANGIBLE.3

    INFREQUENCE, INFREQUENCY, n. [L. infrequentia.] Uncommonness; rareness; the state of rarely occurring.

    INFREQUENT, a. [L. infrequens; in and frequens, frequent.] uncommon; seldom happening or occurring to notice; unfrequent.

    INFRIGIDATE, v.t. [L. in and frigidus, cold.]

    To chill; to make cold. [Little used.]NWAD INFRIGIDATE.2

    INFRIGIDATION, n. The act of making cold.

    INFRINGE, v.t. infrinj’. [L. infringo; in and frango, to break. See Break.]

    1. To break, as contracts; to violate, either positively by contravention, or negatively by non-fulfillment or neglect of performance. A prince or a private person infringes an agreement or covenant by neglecting to perform its conditions, as well as by doing what is stipulated not to be done.NWAD INFRINGE.2

    2. To break; to violate; to transgress; to neglect to fulfill or obey; as, to infringe a law.NWAD INFRINGE.3

    3. To destroy or hinder; as, to infringe efficacy. [Little used.]NWAD INFRINGE.4

    INFRINGED, pp. Broken; violated; transgresses.

    INFRINGEMENT, n. infrinj’ment. Act of violating; breach; violation; non-fulfillment; as the infringement of a treaty, compact or other agreement; the infringement of a law or constitution.

    INFRINGER, n. One who violates; a violator.

    INFRINGING, ppr. Breaking; violating; transgressing; failing to observe or fulfill.

    INFUCATE, v.t. [L. infuco; inand fuco, to paint.]

    To stain; to paint; to daub.NWAD INFUCATE.2

    INFUMED, a. [L. infumatus.] Dried in smoke.

    INFUNDIBULIFORM, a. [L. infundibulum, a funnel, and form.]

    In botany, having the shape of a funnel, as the corol of a flower; monopetalous, having a conical border rising from a tube.NWAD INFUNDIBULIFORM.2

    INFURIATE, a. [L. in and furiatus, from furia, fury.]

    Enraged; mad; raging.NWAD INFURIATE.2

    INFURIATE, v.t. To render furious or mad; to enrage.

    INFUSCATE, v.t. [L. infuscatus, infusco, to make black; in and fusco, fuscus, dark.] To darken; to make black.

    INFUSCATION, n. The act of darkening or blackening.

    INFUSE, v.t. s as z. [L. infusus, infundo, to pour in; in and fundo, to pour.]

    1. To pour in, as a liquid.NWAD INFUSE.2

    That strong Circean liquor cease t’infuse.NWAD INFUSE.3

    2. To instill, as principles or qualities.NWAD INFUSE.4

    Why should he desire to have qualities infused into his son, which himself never possessed.NWAD INFUSE.5

    4. To introduce; as, to infuse Gallicisms into a composition.NWAD INFUSE.6

    5. To inspire with; as, to infuse the breast with magnanimity. [Not used.]NWAD INFUSE.7

    6. To steep in liquor without boiling, for the purpose of extracting medicinal qualities.NWAD INFUSE.8

    One scruple of dried leaves is infused in ten ounces of warm water.NWAD INFUSE.9

    7. To make an infusion with an ingredient. [Not used.]NWAD INFUSE.10

    INFUSE, n. Infusion.

    INFUSED, pp. Poured in; instilled; steeped.

    INFUSER, n. One who infuses.

    INFUSIBILITY, n. [from infusible.] The capacity of being infused or poured in.

    1. The incapacity of being fused or dissolved.NWAD INFUSIBILITY.2

    INFUSIBLE, a. [from the verb.] That may be infused. Good principles are infusible into the minds of youth.

    INFUSIBLE, a. [in, not, and fusible, from fuse.] Not fusible; incapable of fusion; that cannot be dissolved or melted.

    The best crucibles are made of Limoges earth, which seems absolutely infusible.NWAD INFUSIBLE.3

    INFUSING, ppr. Pouring in; instilling; steeping.

    INFUSION, n. s as z. The act of pouring in or instilling; instillation; as the infusion of good principles into the mind; the infusion of ardor or zeal.

    1. Suggestion; whisper.NWAD INFUSION.2

    His folly and his wisdom are of his own growth, not the echo on infusion of other men.NWAD INFUSION.3

    2. In pharmacy, the process of steeping in liquor, an operation by which the medicinal qualities of plants may be extracted by a liquor without boiling.NWAD INFUSION.4

    3. The liquor in which plants are steeped, and which is impregnated with their virtues or qualities.NWAD INFUSION.5

    INFUSIVE, a. Having the power of infusion.

    INFUSORY, a. The infusory order of worms. [vermes] comprehends those minute and simple animalcules which are seldom capable of being traced except by the microscope.

    Ing, in Saxon, signifies a pasture or meadow.NWAD INFUSORY.2

    INGANNATION, n. Cheat; fraud. [Not used.]

    INGATE, n. [in and gate.] Entrance; passage in.

    INGATHERING, n. [in and gathering.] The act or business of collecting and securing the fruits of the earth; harvest; a the feast of ingathering. Exodus 23:16.

    INGELABLE, a. [in and gelable.] That cannot be congealed.

    INGEMINATE, a. [L. ingeminatus.] Redoubled.

    INGEMINATE, v.t. [L. ingemino; in and gemino.]

    To double or repeat.NWAD INGEMINATE.3

    INGEMINATION, n. Repetition; reduplication.

    INGENDER. [See Engender.]

    INGENERABILITY, n. [infra.] Incapacity of being engendered.

    INGENERABLE, a. [in and generate.]

    That cannot be engendered or produced.NWAD INGENERABLE.2

    INGENERATE, v.t. [L. ingenero; in and genero, to generate.]

    To generate or produce within.NWAD INGENERATE.2

    INGENERATE, a. Generated within; inborn; innate; inbred; as ingenerate powers of body.

    INGENERATED, pp. Produced within.

    Noble habits ingenerated in the soul.NWAD INGENERATED.2

    INGENERATING, ppr. Generating or producing within.

    INGENIOUS, a. [L. ingeniosus, from ingenium; in and genius, geno, gigno, to beget.]

    1. Possessed of genius, or the faculty of invention; hence, skillful or prompt to invent; having an aptitude to contrive, or to form new combinations of ideas; as an ingenious author; an ingenious mechanic.NWAD INGENIOUS.2

    The more ingenious men are, the more apt are they to trouble themselves.NWAD INGENIOUS.3

    2. Proceeding from genius or ingenuity; of curious design, structure or mechanism; as an ingenious performance of any kind; an ingenious scheme or plan; an ingenious model or machine; ingenious fabric; ingenious contrivance.NWAD INGENIOUS.4

    3. Witty; well formed; well adapted; as an ingenious reply.NWAD INGENIOUS.5

    4. Mental; intellectual. [Not used.]NWAD INGENIOUS.6

    INGENIOUSLY, adv. With ingenuity; with readiness in contrivance; with skill.

    INGENIOUSNESS, n. The quality of being ingenious or prompt in invention; ingenuity; used of persons.

    1. Curiousness of design or mechanism; used of things.NWAD INGENIOUSNESS.2

    INGENITE, a. [L. ingenitus; in and genitus, born.]

    Innate; inborn; inbred; native; ingenerate.NWAD INGENITE.2

    INGENUITY, n. The quality or power of ready invention; quickness or acuteness in combining ideas, or in forming new combinations; ingeniousness; skill; used of persons. How many machines for saving labor has the ingenuity of men devised and constructed.

    1. Curiousness in design, the effect of ingenuity; as the ingenuity of a plan or of mechanism.NWAD INGENUITY.2

    2. Openness of heart; fairness; candor. [This sense of the word was formerly common, and is found in good authors down to the age of Locke, and even later; but it is now wholly obsolete. In lieu of it, ingenousness is used.]NWAD INGENUITY.3

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