Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

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.

2. The state of being in flame.

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

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

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.

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

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.

2. To fill with the breath; to blow in.

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

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.

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

3. Conceit.

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

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

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

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.

3. To modulate, as the voice.

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.

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

3. Modulation of the voice in speaking.

More commonly inflection gives significance to tones.

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

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.

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

INFLEXIBLE, a. [L. inflexibilis.]

1. That cannot be bent; as an inflexible oak.

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.

3. Not to be changed or altered.

The nature of things is inflexible.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

2. A flowering; the unfolding of blossoms.

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.

It is not followed by on or with.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

2. Infusion; intromission.

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

3. Influence, power. [Not used.]

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

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.

1. To clasp with the arms; to embrace.

Noble Banco, let me infold thee,

And hold thee to my heart.

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.

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

Let others better mold the running mass

Of metals, and inform the breathing brass.

Breath informs this fleeting frame.

--Breathes in our soul, informs our vital part.

[This use is chiefly or wholly poetical.]

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.

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

Tertullus informed the governor against Paul. Acts 24:1.

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

INFORM, v.i. To give intelligence.

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

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.

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.

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

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.]

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.

2. Knowledge derived from reading or instruction.

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

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

The active informations of the intellect--

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.

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.

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

Foe not informidable.

INFORMING, ppr. Giving notice or intelligence; telling.

1. Communicating facts by way of accusation.

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.

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

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.

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.

2. Not to be violated.

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.]

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Enraged; mad; raging.

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.

That strong Circean liquor cease t’infuse.

2. To instill, as principles or qualities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

To generate or produce within.

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

INGENERATED, pp. Produced within.

Noble habits ingenerated in the soul.

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.

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

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.

3. Witty; well formed; well adapted; as an ingenious reply.

4. Mental; intellectual. [Not used.]

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.

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

Innate; inborn; inbred; native; ingenerate.

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.

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.]