▪ I. inroad, n.
(ˈɪnrəʊd)
Also 6–8 inrode.
[f. in adv. 11 d + road n., in sense ‘riding’.]
1. A hostile incursion into a country; a raid or foray.
| 1548 W. Patten Exp. Scot. Pref. a j b, Hys grace..soo inuaded the Scottish borders, wasted and burnt Tyuydale and their Marches, that euen yet they forthinke that inrode. 1565–72 Cooper Thesaurus, Incurso, to inuade, to make inrodes or inuasions on enemies. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 745 Demetrius..invaded Laconia with all his Army, and made an inrode to the City of Sparta. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 77 Several Companies of the King's Souldiers making Inroads, the Country People..took, and without mercy killed them. 1727 Pope Art Sinking 72 We never made the least attempt or inrode into their territories. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xiv. (1869) I. 311 The provinces were protected by his presence from the inroads of the barbarians. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. I. ii. 36 Aggressive war, as distinguished from mere plundering inroads. |
2. transf. or fig. A powerful or sudden incursion; a forcible encroachment.
| 1637 C. Dow Answ. H. Burton 92 It is a..violent inrode upon the fifth commandement. 1676 tr. Guillatiere's Voy. Athens 215 The Ladies..would make another inroad into his Garden. 1740 Butler Serm. bef. Ld. Mayor Wks. 1874 II. 233 Thus luxury made its inroad, and all the numerous trained evils its attendants. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. Sterne iii. 62 It contains a just account of the first inroads of melancholy. 1830 Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 284 We may probably infer some great inroad of the sea at a remote period. 1874 Green Short Hist. v. §2. 228 They protested against..Papal inroads on the liberties of the Church. |
† 3. An opening or passage in. Obs. rare.
| 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. ix. 104 [It] made a shameful inrode or through-passage. 1697 E. Lhwyd in Phil. Trans. XXVII. 467 Their Coal-works were not Pits sunk like Draw⁓wells; but great Inroads made into the side of the Hill. |
▪ II. inroad, v. Now rare.
Also 7 enroad, inrode.
[f. prec. n.]
† 1. trans. To invade; to make an inroad into.
| 1625 Lisle Du Bartas, Noe 132 A common field where store of cattell grazeth And whence by thousand heads they come our tylth to enroad. 1639 Fuller Holy War i. ix. 14 The Saracens..conquered Spain, inroded Aquitain. 1655 ― Ch. Hist. iii. vii. §14 Robert Bruce..regained Berwick, inroaded England. a 1656 Ussher Ann. (1658) 668 He..inroded the Romans as they were fortifying their Camp. |
2. intr. To make inroads.
| 1878 Pop. Sci. Monthly July 369 A growing liberalization..is inroading upon the old doctrine of future everlasting punishment. |
Hence inroading vbl. n. and ppl. a. Also inroader, one who makes an inroad; an invader.
| 1611 Cotgr., Voleur,..a robber, or highway theefe; and an inroder. a 1656 Ussher Ann. (1658) 674 He was withheld from the inroding of Jerusalem. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, York iii. 230 He had been a great inroder of England. 1855 N.Y. Tribune 23 Oct., Its inroading effects upon the mind. |