commixture
(kəˈmɪkstjʊə(r))
[ad. L. commixtūra, f. commixt-: see prec. and -ure.]
1. The action or fact of mixing or mingling together; union of ingredients or constituents.
| a 1592 T. Watson Poems (Arb.) 201 But it so fast was fixed to my hart, Ioind with vnseparable sweete commixture. 1610 Bp. Hall Apol. Brownists §56 Your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your Church. 1643 Milton Divorce ii. xix. (1851) 114 The souls union and commixture of intellectuall delights. 1794 G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. III. xxv. 85 Jarring interests and opposite views..are made to produce order by their proper commixture. 1831 Fraser's Mag. IV. 354 A law enforcing the commixture of tartar emetic in every gallon of spirit. 1869 Farrar Fam. Speech iv. (1873) 123 While all other tongues..have undergone perpetual commixture and change. |
b. (with a and pl.)
| 1607–12 Bacon Ess. Nobility (Arb.) 188 By a commixture of good and euil Actes [1612 Arts]. 1671 Maynwaring Anc. & Mod. Pract. Physic 81 The various results from different commixtures. 1846 Hawthorne Mosses, Rappacini's Dau., There had been such a commixture. |
2. The condition or product resulting from mixing things together; a mixture, a compound.
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. vi. 6 My Loue and Feare, glew'd many Friends to thee, And now I fall. Thy tough Commixtures melts. 1601 Cornwallyes Ess. xv, Demetrius was a Commixture of vertues, and vices. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Planting, A Comixture of Street Filth, Sea-coal Ashes, and some Horse-Dung with it. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. I. 222 Atmospheric air may be considered..a commixture of an acid and water, and a fixed fire. 1849 Murchison Siluria xx. 491 Seeing in this commixture..the indications of long and slow action. 1859 Tennent Ceylon II. x. i. 578 The temple contains a strange commixture of Brahmanical and Buddhist worship. |
† 3. Complexion (in its earlier sense). Obs.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. i. 296 Faire Ladies..their damaske sweet commixture showne, Are Angels vailing clouds. |
† 4. = commixtion 2. Obs.
| 1682 G. Vernon Life of Heylyn 181 Monks and Friers, who fancied themselves to have had unclean commixtures with her. |
† 5. Rom. and Sc. Law. = commixtion 5.
| 17.. Erskine is cited in Webster. |
6. = commixtion 6. q.v.
| 1850 Neale Hist. East. Ch. I. 520 This commixture, if not absolutely primitive, is..of very venerable antiquity. |