▪ I. inhabit pa. pple.
see next.
▪ II. inhabit, v.
(ɪnˈhæbɪt)
Forms: α. 4–6 enhabit(e, 5 -yte, -ete. β. 4–7 inhabite, 5 -et(t, -ete, 5–6 -yt(e, 6 inabite, 6– inhabit. pa. pple. en-, inhabited; also 4– 7 en-, inhabit, -ite.
[a. OF. enhabiter (12th c. in Godef.) to dwell, dwell in, ad. L. inhabitāre, f. in- (in-2) + habitāre to dwell: see habit v.]
1. trans. To dwell in, occupy as an abode; to live permanently or habitually in (a region, element, etc.); to reside in (a country, town, dwelling, etc.). Said of men and animals.
| α c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. vii. 44 (Camb. MS.) The ferthe partye ys enhabited with lyuynge bestys þat we knowen. c 1400 Destr. Troy 101 An yle enabit..With a maner of men, mermydons callid. c 1477 Caxton Jason 63 b, This cite is enhabited with women without king. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 28/1 That other yland is not enhabite. |
| β 1390 Gower Conf. I. 324 The citee..Of worthy folk..Was inhabited here and there. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) vii. 23 The land of [Egipte] es lang, bot it es narowe: for men may noȝt inhabit it on brede for desertes. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 174 London..is inhabited with men of everye facultie. 1611 Bible Isa. lxv. 21 They shall build houses, and inhabit them. 1797 T. Bewick Brit. Birds (1847) I. 26 This bird inhabits all the northern parts of Europe. 1881 Athenæum No. 2777. 97 The pelagie fishes, or those which inhabit the mid ocean. |
b. transf. (of inanimate things), and
fig.| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 26 b, More perfyte religyons, whiche be to the seruauntes of god that inhabyte them, as the arke of Noe. 1611 Bible Isa. lvii. 15 The High and loftie One that inhabiteth eternitie. 1654–66 Earl of Orrery Parthen. 1 Those charms, which in spight of fortunes cruelties, did yet inhabit his face. 1807–8 W. Irving Salmag. xi. (1860) 246 The same echo inhabited the valley. |
2. intr. To dwell, live; to have one's abode; to abide, lodge.
arch.| α c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. v. 15 (Camb. MS.) Who so þat leteth the wyl for to enhabyte there. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. x. 188 Eremites þat en-habiten by þe heye weyes. c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. xxvii. 102 (Harl. MS.) This knight enhabitid in a woode. 1537 Act 27 Hen. VIII in Bolton Stat. Irel. (1621) 175 Every person and persons enhabiting within this land. |
| β a 1400–50 Alexander 4020 An Ile, Quare þir Exidraces as Ermets inhabet in caues. 1598 W. Phillips Linschoten (1864) 170 In all places of India where the Portugals inabite. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 355 Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 511 The Senecas inhabit on the Chenesee or Genessee river. 1871 Browning Pr. Hohenst. 1716 But, till notice sound, Inhabit we in ease and opulence! |
b. transf. and
fig. To dwell, abide.
| 1382 Wyclif Col. i. 19 In hym it pleside to gidere al plente for to inhabite. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lxxxviii. (1869) 50 The hous is..lasse than the good that enhabiteth ther inne. c 1580 Sidney Ps. xxxiv. i, In my mouth contynually Inhabit shall his praise. a 1619 Fletcher Mad Lover iii. iv, Her ey inhabits on him. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. ix. 53 See, on the Shoar inhabits purple Spring. 1824 Westm. Rev. I. 4 It dignifies every thought that inhabits with it. |
† 3. trans. To occupy or people (a place).
Obs.| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 278 Nations seventy and two, In sondry place eche one of tho [nations] The wide world have enhabited. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy (1555) i. i, Thus gan he praye..His lande tenhabite which standeth desolate. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 43 The Iberians..dwelt neare to Meotis: certaine Colonies of them inhabited Spaine, and called it Hiberia. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxiv. 131 ‘Plantations’, or ‘colonies’, which are numbers of men sent out..to inhabit a Forraign Country..void of inhabitants. |
† b. To people
with, to furnish
with (inhabitants).
Obs.| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xii. 52 Þis castell gert Bawdewyne make.. and inhabited it with Cristen men. 1515 in St. Papers Hen. VIII, II. 11 He dyd conquyre all the lande,..and dyd inhabyte the same with Englyshe folke. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1895) III. 336 Cities..which afterwardes they did inhabite with their owne citizens. |
† 4. To establish or settle (a person, etc.) in a place, to furnish with a habitation; to locate, house;
refl. to establish oneself, take up one's abode;
pass., to be domiciled or resident.
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxxiv. 8 Suche as ben enheryted and enhabyted in the same Countre. 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) ii. 186 b/1 He..yede his waye to enhabyte him selfe in the deserte within a caue. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. clv. 143 He after inhabyted them in dyuerse placis of his realme. 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xviii. liii. (W. de W.) 812 Amptes..make hepys and hylles in whom they enhabyte themself in. 1496 Act 12 Hen. VII, c. 6 The Merchauntes Adventurers inhabite and dwelling in divers parties of this Realme of Englond. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 158 Many of the Citizens..voyded the Citie,..and inhabited themselves in diverse places of the realme. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. iii. 10 O knowledge ill inhabited, worse then Ioue in a thatch'd house! |
† b. intr. (for
refl.) To take up one's abode, settle.
Obs.| 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 36 After whiche victory certaine souldiers..passed over the water of Sala and there inhabited, betwene the rivers. 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China i. iii. (Hakluyt Soc.) I. 12 Perswaded..that those which did first finde and inhabite in this lande, were the nevewes of Noe. |
† c. fig. (in
pa. pple. = (?) Established, located, allotted; addicted, devoted).
Obs.| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 415 (443) She þat I serue,..To whom myn herte enhabit [v.r. enabitid] is by right, Shal han me holly hires til þat I dye. |
Hence
inˈhabiting ppl. a., indwelling.
| a 1617 Bayne On Coloss. i. & ii. (1634) 258 Now the inhabiting and the inhabited are not confounded. 1844 W. H. Mill Serm. Tempt. Christ ii. 42 To restore this inhabiting Presence to Man. |