adulteration
(əˌdʌltəˈreɪʃən)
[ad. L. adulterātiōn-em, n. of action, f. adulterā-re: see adulter v.]
1. The action of adulterating; corruption or debasement by spurious admixture.
| 1506 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de Worde) Prol. 4 Folowe the pathes and the wayes of theyr adulteracyon. 1603 Florio Montaigne i. xlvi. (1632) 150 The most obscure houses are most apt unto adulteration, and falsification. 1626 Bacon Sylva viii. §798 To make the compound pass for the rich metal simple is an adulteration or counterfeit. 1751 Chambers Cycl., We have laws against the Adulteration of coffee, tea, tobacco, etc. 1823 Byron Juan xii. lxiii, Merely innocent flirtation, Not quite adultery, but adulteration. 1859 Mill Liberty 171 Public control is admissible for the prevention of fraud by adulteration. 1864 Weekly Desp. 14 Aug., Even chicory, we find, does not escape adulteration. |
2. The result of adulterating; an adulterated condition, product, or substance.
| 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. 154 Though there be much Adulteration therein, yet I conceive the main Bulk and Body thereof uncorrupted. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 35 Free from the mixture of political adulterations. 1775 Adair Amer. Ind. 164 Indians, who are free from adulteration by their far-distance from foreigners. 1859 Jephson Brittany vii. 87 We actually adulterate our adulterations. |