expectorate, v.
(ɛkˈspɛktəreɪt)
Also 7 -at.
[f. L. expectorāt- ppl. stem of expectorāre, f. ex- (see ex- prefix1) + pector-, pectus the breast; in class. L. only in sense 3. Cf. Fr. expectorer.]
† 1. trans. Of a drug or its action: To clear, drive out (phlegm, etc.) from the chest or lungs.
| 1601 Holland Pliny xxiv. xvi, As well the one as the other, doth expectorat the fleame gathered in the chest. 1656 Culpepper Eng. Physic. Enl. 80 The Decoction of the Herb [crosswort] in Wine helpeth to expectorate flegm out of the chest. 1678 Salmon Lond. Dispens. 769/1 Green Oyntment..is given..to..expectorate flegm. |
| absol. 1710 T. Fuller Pharm. Extemp. 121 It [the Electuary]..powerfully expectorates. |
2. To eject, discharge (phlegm, etc.) from the chest or lungs by coughing, hawking, or spitting.
| 1666 G. Harvey Morb. Angl. (1672) xxiii, Excrementitious humours such as are expectorated by a Cough. 1732 Arbuthnot Rules of Diet 334 Morbifick Matter is..expectorated by Coughing. 1846 G. E. Day tr. Simon's Anim. Chem. II. 71 Thick clots of mucus are expectorated in the morning. 1861 F. H. Ramadge Curab. Consumption 30 He expectorated blood. 1877 Roberts Handbk. Med. (ed. 3) I. 360 Laryngeal tissues may be expectorated. |
| fig. 1782 V. Knox Ess. vi, All the venom which a virulent party could expectorate upon them. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. (1858) 67 Teufelsdröckh had not already expectorated his antipedagogic spleen. |
b. absol.; often
= to spit.
| 1827 Lytton Pelham ii, The men [at Cambridge]..expectorated on the floor. 1882 Quain Dict. Med. s.v. Expectoration, By teaching the patient ‘how to expectorate’ life may be prolonged. |
3. † a. To expel from the ‘breast’ or mind (
obs.).
b. refl. and intr. for refl. To ease or relieve one's mind.
| 1621 S. Ward Life of Faith (ed. 2) vii, Hath it [faith] not soueraigne vertue in it to.. expectorate all feares? 1656 Trapp Comm. Matt. xxiii. 17 The dust of covetousness had put out the eyes of these buzzards, and expectorated their understandings. 1667 Waterhouse Fire Lond. 185, I could enlarge in this Subject which is so pleasing to me, to expectorate my self by. 1754 H. Walpole Corr. (1837) I. 246 Sir George came..to expectorate with me as he called it. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xviii. vii, Friedrich..took to verses, by way of expectorating himself. |
Hence
exˈpectorated ppl. a. exˈpectorating vbl. n. exˈpectorating ppl. a. = expectorant a.
| 1656 Ridgley Pract. Physick 212 Give expectorating means. 1732 Arbuthnot Rules of Diet 266 Substances expectorating are such as cleanse and open. 1783 S. Chapman in Med. Commun. I. 285 From the expectorating mixture, he never seemed to receive any benefit. 1809 Pearson in Phil. Trans. XCIX. 319 This expectorated substance swims on water. 1845 G. E. Day tr. Simon's Anim. Chem. I. 335 Dr. Chiaje..found the polystoma sanguiculum in the expectorated blood of two phthisical patients. |