▪ I. comminute, v.
(ˈkɒmɪnjuːt)
[f. L. comminūt- ppl. stem of comminu-ĕre to reduce into smaller parts, lessen; f. com- together + minu-ĕre to make smaller, lessen, f. root of min-us, min-or less.]
1. trans. To reduce (solids) to minute particles; to break, crush, or grind to small fragments or to powder; to pulverize, triturate.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §800 Entire Bodies, and not comminuted, as Sand and Ashes. 1670 Phil. Trans. V. 2033 Such Menstruum's as may dissolve and comminute the hard Stone in the Bladder. 1769 Pennant Zool. III. 197 [They] feed chiefly on shell-fish, which they comminute with their teeth. 1880 Nature XXI. 203 Nor [are] their teeth [adapted] for comminuting hard bones. |
† b. transf. To divide (a liquid) minutely. Obs.
| 1667 Phil. Trans. II. 515 By comminuting and mixing the Bloud in the Gills. 1758 J. S. Le Dran's Observ. Surg. (ed. 4) 297 The Falling of a Column of Water..abrades and comminutes the inspissated Juices. |
c. To reduce to minuteness, to diminish. rare.
| 1842 W. Grove Corr. Phys. Forces 17 Direct and reacting waves, continually comminuted, but never destroyed. |
d. transf. To divide or break up (e.g. property) into small portions.
| 1836 Sir H. Taylor Statesman xxix. 217 If the patronage be comminuted and placed in several hands. 1860 Adler Fauriel's Prov. Poetry xv. 340 Fiefs..became so comminuted as no longer to afford the means of easy subsistence to their too numerous proprietors. |
2. intr. (Math.) [L. com- + minuĕre.] Proposed by De Morgan for ‘to diminish together without limit’: see comminuent.
Hence ˈcomminuting vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1766 Pennant Zool., River Trout Salmon (R.), The superior quantity of shell-fish..may more frequently call for the use of its comminuting powers. 1870 Rolleston Anim. Life Introd. 51 The absence of comminuting organs anteriorly to the Gizzard. |
▪ II. comminute, a.
(ˈkɒmɪnjuːt)
[ad. L. comminūt-us pa. pple. of comminuĕre: see prec.]
= comminuted.
| In mod. Dicts. |