▪ I. impostume, -thume, n. Now rare.
(ɪmˈpɒstjʊm)
Forms: 5–6 em-, en-, im-, -postem(e, -tym(e, -tome, -tume, 6–8 impostem, 7 imposthim, 6– impostume, -thume.
[a. OF. empostume (also in 16th c. Eng.), altered form of apostume, aposteme; see apostem.
A word which has undergone unusual corruption both in prefix and radical part. Originally Gr. ἀπόστηµα abscess, L. apostēma, F. apostème. In OF. the ending was corrupted to -stume (whence ME. apostume); in late OF. the initial a of the prefix apo- was, like a- prefix, sometimes confused with em-, making empostume. The Latin form of em- being im-, the word was modified in Eng. as impostume. The earlier ME. apostume was meanwhile aphetized as postume, and this app. associated with the derivatives of L. postumus; when these were erroneously spelt posthume, posthumous, the erroneous h passed also into apostume, impostume; the spelling imposthume is occasional from c 1550, and prevalent (though not universal) from c 1700.]
1. A purulent swelling or cyst in any part of the body; an abscess.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 4 Contents, Cap. iiij of emposteme undire þe rote of þe ere. Ibid. 38 As it schal be teld in þe chapitle of an enpostyme [MS. B. aposteme]. Ibid. 52 An enpostym. Ibid. 54 Enpostemes. Ibid. 214 heading, Of empostyms of þe heed. 1483 Cath. Angl. 195/1 An Imposteme, apostema. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. cv. [ci.] 307 By gambaldyng of the horse the impostume brake in his body. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI (1809) 209 As though he had died of a Palsey or Empostome. 1552 Huloet, Imposthume, or botche, or course of euil humours. 1578 Lyte Dodoens i. lxiii. 93 Empostems, wennes, or harde swellings about the eares and throte. 1642 Rogers Naaman 440 When the disease was ripe, he lets out the impostume. 1659 South Serm. (1697) I. 103 An Error in the judgment, is like an impostem in the Head. 1685 Boyle Enq. Notion Nat. 228 Producing sometimes inward Imposthumes. 1738 Stuart in Phil. Trans. XL. 327 Morbid Impostems or Tumors. 1748 tr. V. Renatus' Distemp. Horses 238 A Suppuration, which they call an Impostume. 1841 Brewster Mart. Sc. iii. iii. (1856) 205 An imposthume in his brain, occasioned by too much study. |
2. fig. a. With reference to moral corruption in the individual, or insurrection in the state: A moral or political ‘festering sore’; the ‘swelling’ of pride, etc.
| 1565 J. Calfhill Answ. Treat. Crosse (1846) 93 It openeth the festered sores, the pestilent imposthumes of our ill desires. 1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 234 The three Impostumes of the world, namely, Warres, Famine, and Pestilence. 1685 R. Youngs in Sprat 2nd Pt. Relat. late Wicked Contrivance (1693) 97 Several Imposthims they like⁓wise haue sent abroad, which I can prove. 1702 Eng. Theophrast. 177 To hinder the impostume of bad humour from breaking. 1839 James Louis XIV, I. 276 This most absurd and abusive imposthume upon an absurd and abusive system was called the Paulette. 1876 Browning Pacchiarotto xxii, The imposthume I prick to relieve thee of,—Vanity. |
† b. Applied to a gathering cloud or its contents.
| 1603 Drayton Bar. Wars ii. xvi, From the swolne fluxure of the Clouds, doth shake A ranke Impostume upon every Lake. |
† c. Applied to a person swollen with pride or insolence. Obs.
| 1621 Fletcher Isl. Princ. i. iii, Dost thou know me, bladder, Thou insolent impostume? |
▪ II. † imˈpostume, -thume, v. Obs.
Forms: see prec.
[f. prec. n.; cf. apostume, aposteme v.]
1. intr. To gather into an impostume or abscess; = impostumate v. 2.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 64 Whanne þat þou art sikir fro þe enpostemynge [MS. B. empostomynge]. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters B iij b, Good for impostumyng and payne in the gummes. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Apostumer & meurir, to empostume, to runne. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 326 The knots will encrease daily, and inflame, impostume, and break. 1628 Feltham Resolves i. xxxvi. 111 Whatsoeuer is taken in, that is distastfull, and continues there vn-voyded, does daily impostume, and gather till at last it kills. |
2. trans. = impostumate v. 1.
| 1645 G. Daniel Poems Wks. 1878 II. 92 They are free Of that ranke venome which imposthumes Mee. |