affusion
(əˈfjuːʒən)
[ad. (directly or through Fr. affusion, 16th c. in Littré.) L. *affūsiōn-em n. of action f. affund-ĕre: see affuse.]
1. A pouring on or into; as of water upon the body. Hence used of one method of administering baptism.
| 1615 Crooke Body of Man 33 As it were an affusion or confluence of blood. 1652 French Yorksh. Spa iv. 45 Water is used outwardly..by way of aspersion or affusion (i.e.) sprinkling or pouring on. a 1677 Barrow Serm. (1716) II. 227 God anointed him not with an external affusion of material oil. 1780 Kirwan in Phil. Trans. LXXI. 26 Growing milky on the affusion of pure distilled water. 1800 Henry Epit. Chem. (1808) 238 Wash..with repeated affusions of warm water. 1872 O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms 245 Affusion being allowed only when the child or person to be baptized is weak in health. |
2. Med. A remedy in fevers, consisting in pouring on the patient a quantity of water, varying in temperature according to his state, but usually from 50° to 60° or 70° Fahr. Also fig.
| 1803 W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. I. 273 From the eruptive fever of democratic effervescence, countries recover by slight and temperate affusions of concession. 1844 T. Graham Dom. Med. 752 In very acute attacks of yellow fever..we resort to the use of purgatives, and the cold affusion. |
† 3. A swelling or development of anything pulpy. Obs. rare.
| 1615 Crooke Body of Man 127 A Parenchyma..or a fleshy affusion, very soft, thin, loose, and spongious. |