adumbrate, v.
(əˈdʌmbreɪt)
[f. L. adumbrāt- ppl. stem of adumbrā-re to overshadow, to shade, to shadow out; f. ad to + umbrā-re to shade.]
† 1. To shade (a picture), to represent with due light and shade so as to complete what has been sketched or delineated. (So in L.) Obs.
| 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe (1871) 113 Whose resplendent laud and honour, to delineate and adumbrate to the ample life, were a work that would, etc. |
2. To represent the shadow of (anything), to draw or figure in outline; to outline; to sketch; to give a faint indication of.
| 1641 French Distillation Ep. Ded. A iiij b, I crave leave to adumbrate something of that art which I know you will be willing..to promote. 1692 Bp. of Ely Answ. Touchstone 223 Which is not expressly prepounded..but adumbrated and obscurely indicated. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. ix. 706 Its duties were very ill defined, or rather not defined at all, but only adumbrated. |
3. fig. To represent a substance by its ‘shadow’ or emblem; to shadow forth, to typify; hence, to foreshadow, prefigure, as ‘coming events cast their shadows before.’
| 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 147 Abolished by the glorie of Christ, whose death and passion they [burnt offerings] did adumbrate. 1611 J. Guillim Heraldrie xxvi. 181 The Griffon..will neuer be taken aliue; wherein hee doth adumbrate or rather liuely set forth the propertie of a valorous Souldier. 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. i. viii. 28 All Rites..our Holy-dayes among the rest, serve onely to adumbrate and shadow foorth something. 1677 Gale Crt. of Gentiles i. ii. vi. 72 Noah..is adumbrated to us, not only in Saturne, but also in Prometheus. 1872 H. Macmillan True Vine i. 32 What qualities in Christ are adumbrated by the vine? |
4. To overshadow; to shade, obscure.
| 1670 G. H. tr. Hist. Cardinals ii. iii. 180 The lustre of his good qualities is in some measure adumbrated by certain defects. 1681 Trial of S. Colledge 41 To adumbrate our Actions, for fear we should be discovered. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. v. 18 [He] was kneeling at the bedside, his nose adumbrating the coverlid of my bed. 1860 J. P. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. v. 55 The building was adumbrated in the shelter of a huge willow. |