▪ I. imbost
obs. var. of embossed ppl. a.2, foaming at the mouth from exhaustion.
▪ II. † imˈbost, n. Obs.
[cf. prec. and next.]
Foam (from the mouth of a beast).
| 1677 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. 78 Yet will that [Stream] with the help of the Wind, lodge part of the Steam and Imbost [printed Imbosh], that comes from him, on the Banks. 1727 R. Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Hart, The Steam and Imbost. |
▪ III. † imˈbost, v. Obs. rare.
[f. imbost, pa. pple. of imboss, emboss v.2 (sense 3).
App. the pa. pple. or pa. tense was taken as the vb. stem; whence a new pa. pple. imbosted: cf. graff, graft, grafted.]
1. trans. To drive (a hunted beast) to extremity; to cause to foam at the mouth: = emboss v.2 2.
| 1590 Cokaine Treat. Hunting D j, He will close vp his mouth as though he had not been imbosted or hunted that day. |
2. intr. To foam, as a result of hard running: = emboss v.2 3.
| 1590 Cokaine Treat. Hunting C iv, Who so hunteth unbreathed hounds..in hot weather, causeth them to imbost and surbate greatly. |
Hence † imˈbosted, -boasted ppl. a., foaming at the mouth (like a madman).
| 1628 Feltham Resolves ii. lxxxvi. 249 Sure, they borrow it..from the imboasted [ed. 1709 raging] Savage, and from tormenting spirits. |