im·bue
Audio Help [im-byoo] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
Audio Help [im-byoo] Pronunciation Key –verb (used with object), -bued, -bu·ing.
| 1. | to impregnate or inspire, as with feelings, opinions, etc.: The new political leader was imbued with the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. |
| 2. | to saturate or impregnate with moisture, color, etc. |
| 3. | to imbrue. |
[Origin: 1545–55; < L imbuere to wet, drench
]
] —Related forms
im·bue·ment, noun
—Synonyms 1. charge, infect, fire. 2. permeate, infuse, tincture, soak.
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
imbue
To learn more about imbue visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| im·bue
Audio Help (ĭm-byōō') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. im·bued, im·bu·ing, im·bues
[Middle English enbuen, imbeuen, from Latin imbuere, to moisten, stain.] |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
imbue
c.1550, "to cause to absorb" (feelings, opinions, etc.), from M.Fr. imbu (infl. by L. imbutus, pp. of imbuere "moisten, stain"), earlier embu, pp. of emboire, from L. imbibere "drink in, soak in."
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| imbue | |
verb | |
| 1. | spread or diffuse through; "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks" [syn: permeate] |
| 2. | fill, soak, or imbue totally; "soak the bandage with disinfectant" [syn: soak] |
| 3. | suffuse with color |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
Imbue
Im*bibe"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imbibed; p. pr. & vb. n. Imbibing.] [L. imbibere; pref. im- in + bibere to drink: cf. F. imbiber. Cf. Bib, Imbue, Potable.]1. To drink in; to absorb; to suck or take in; to receive as by drinking; as, a person imbibes drink, or a sponge imbibes moisture. 2. To receive or absorb into the mind and retain; as, to imbibe principles; to imbibe errors. 3. To saturate; to imbue. [Obs.] "Earth, imbibed with . . . acid." --Sir I. Newton.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
imbue
imbue was Word of the Day on October 6, 2000.
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