infusion
(ɪnˈfjuːʒən)
[a. F. infusion (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), or immediately ad. L. infūsiōn-em, n. of action f. infundĕre to pour in: see infuse.]
1. The action of pouring in (a liquid), or fact of being poured in; that which is poured in. Now chiefly fig., as in ‘the infusion of new blood’, which passes into 5.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 491/2 Our sauiour himselfe..did put water in to wyne, thoughe there was no mencion made therof in the writing, no more then there was of diuers other thynges..Of whych thynges this infusion of water is one. 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. Ep. Ded., When Gods will is to have His children nourished with the..unmingled milke of His word, dare man use the infusion of water, to the weakening of them? 1709 Steele Tatler No. 131 ¶7 Another [cyder], with a less quantity of the same infusion, would rise into a dark purple. a 1716 South Twelve Serm. (1717) VI. 396 We all know, that we may infuse, what we will into an empty Vessel, but a full one has no room for a farther Infusion. 1853 J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. (1876) II. i. iv. 216 The continual infusion into it of new blood to perform its functions. |
b. spec. in Surg. Injection: see quots.
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. Explan. Words, Infusion signifieth the conueiance of some medicinable liquour into the body by clystre or other instrument. 1886 Syd. Soc. Lex., Infusion,..in Surgery, the act of introducing medicinal substances into the veins by means of the Infusor, or into these or other cavities, or into the parenchyma of organs, by hydrostatic pressure. |
2. The action of infusing some principle, quality, or idea, into the mind, soul, or heart; esp. the imparting of a priori ideas or of divine grace: see quots. 1857, 1875.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione ii. xii. 56 In þe crosse is infusion of hevenly swetnes. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 149 Whiche inspiracyon..is none other but a infusyon of a spiritual grace. 1622 T. Scott Belg. Pismire 41 Neither hath he his art altogether by infusion, but by instruction, and experience. 1675 Brooks Gold. Key Wks. 1867 V. 231 How is Christ made righteousness to the believer? Not by infusion, but imputation; not by putting righteousness into him, but by putting a righteousness upon him. 1727–46 Thomson Spring 587 No sooner grows The soft infusion prevalent and wide, Than, all alive, at once their joy o'erflows In music unconfin'd. 1857 T. E. Webb Intellectualism Locke iii. 47 The doctrine of Infusion—the doctrine which regarded our a priori Ideas as infused into the Intellect by an act of God. 1875 Manning Mission H. Ghost v. 135 This lifelong increase of charity in the soul is wrought..by gift and infusion on God's part. |
† b. Insidious suggestion, insinuation. Obs.
| a 1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 52 The greater error of the two (though unwillingly) I am constrained to impose on my Lord of Essex, or rather on his youth;..But, to omitthat of infusion [etc.]. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §143 By the infusions he made into King James..he did all he could to discountenance that Party. 1756 Johnson Life Browne Wks. IV. 595 Not watchful against the power of his infusions. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, III. vii. 41 [They] contributed by their infusions [later edd. suggestions] to sour and disgust him still more. |
† c. Infused temperament; character imparted by nature. Obs. rare. Cf. infusionism.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 122 His infusion of such dearth and rareness. |
† 3. The action of pouring or shedding forth; that which is poured forth; outpouring, effusion. Obs.
| 1563 W. Fulke Meteors (1571) 39 Possidonius..saide, it [the milky way] is the infusion of the heate of sterres. |
4. The process of pouring water over a substance, or steeping the substance in water, in order to impregnate the liquid with its properties or virtues. † Formerly, also, the dissolving of a salt or other soluble substance.
| 1573 Twyne æneid xii. Mm j b, The same [Dittany] Dame Venus thyther bringes, And into water vessels bright it secretly she flinges, And makes therof Infusion [later edd. steeping] large, the vertue forth to take. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 272 Infusion is the preparation of medicaments, cut or bruised in some humidity convenient for the purpose, a lesser or longer time. 1653 Walton Angler vi. 139 Oil of Ivy-berries, made by expression or infusion. 1676 Grew Exp. Solut. Salts i. §28 Not only in the Infusion of several Ingredients together, but of any one singly, that such a proportion thereof to the Menstruum be not exceeded. 1707 Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 122 After this Time of Infusion, separate the Water from the Substances. 1831 J. Davies Manual Mat. Med. 37 By infusion, that is, by pouring a liquid, more or less heated, on the substance from which we wish to extract the remedial principles. |
b. A dilute liquid extract obtained from a substance by soaking it with, or steeping it in, water; also any water containing dissolved organic (esp. vegetable) matter, such as that in which Infusoria are found.
| c 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health, Aphorisms Hippocrites C v, The infusion of hyera healeth the melancolike paynes of the head. 1626 Bacon Sylva §18 For the Preparations of Medicines and other Infusions. 1684 Boyle Porousn. Anim. Bod. iii. 26 Clothes or spunges wetted in Infusion of Tobacco. 1789 W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 311 An infusion of the bark, or other bitters, in small wine,..may be drank for some time. 1826 Henry Elem. Chem. II. 520 If the colour of the infusion tend too much to purple, it may be amended by a drop or two of solution of pure ammonia. 1828 Stark Elem. Nat. Hist. II. 451 M[onas] termo,..Found in vegetable and animal infusions. 1869 tr. Pouchet's Universe (1871) 9 Many of these creatures do not live in infusions, but on the contrary, inhabit the sea and fresh water. 1871 Tyndall Fragm. Sc. (1879) II. xiii. 295 The infusions continued unchanged for months. |
5. The action of infusing or introducing a modifying element or new characteristic; an infused element, admixture, tincture.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §805 The Aire (no doubt) receiueth great Tincture and Infusion from the Earth. 1727 Swift Let. Eng. Tongue Wks. 1755 II. i. 187 During the usurpation, such an infusion of enthusiastic jargon prevailed in every writing. 1788 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 82 Too great an infusion of various and heterogeneous opinions may embarrass that decision. 1822 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Some Old Actors, He..was a gentleman with a slight infusion of the footman. 1881 Westcott & Hort Grk. N.T. II. Introd. §193 Absence of all the ancient texts..with an increasing infusion of the late Syrian readings. |
6. The action of pouring on water in baptism, as opposed to immersion; = affusion.
| 1751–73 Jortin Eccl. Hist. (R.), Baptism by infusion began to be introduced in cold climates. 1879 W. Hepworth in Encycl. Brit. IX. 361/2 Originally used only for sick or infirm persons, the method of baptism by infusion became gradually the established practice. |
7. attrib., as infusion-jar: see quot.
| 1886 Syd. Soc. Lex., Infusion jar, an apparatus in which to prepare an infusion;..an earthenware jug containing a strainer on which to receive the material to be dealt with. |