Imbue — Im*bue , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Imbued}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Imbuing}.] [L. imbuere; pref. im in + perh. a disused simple word akin to L. bibere to drink. Cf. {Imbibe}.] 1. To tinge deeply; to dye; to cause to absorb; as, clothes thoroughly imbued… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
imbue — (v.) early 15c., to keep wet; to soak, saturate; also figuratively to cause to absorb (feelings, opinions, etc.), from L. imbuere moisten, of uncertain origin, perhaps from the same root as IMBRICATION (Cf. imbrication). Cf. also O.Fr. embu, pp.… … Etymology dictionary
imbue — inoculate, leaven, ingrain, *infuse, suffuse Analogous words: *inform, inspire, fire, animate: impregnate, saturate, *permeate, pervade … New Dictionary of Synonyms
imbue — see infuse … Modern English usage
imbue — [v] infuse, saturate bathe, diffuse, impregnate, inculcate, infix, ingrain, inoculate, instill, invest, leaven, permeate, pervade, steep, suffuse; concepts 209,236,245 Ant. drain, take out … New thesaurus
imbue — ► VERB (imbues, imbued, imbuing) (often be imbued with) ▪ fill with a feeling or quality. ORIGIN originally in the sense «saturate»: from Latin imbuere moisten … English terms dictionary
imbue — [im byo͞o′] vt. imbued, imbuing [L imbuere, to wet, soak] 1. Rare to fill with moisture; saturate 2. to fill with color; dye; tinge 3. to permeate or inspire (with principles, ideas, emotions, etc.) … English World dictionary
imbue — UK [ɪmˈbjuː] / US [ɪmˈbju] verb Word forms imbue : present tense I/you/we/they imbue he/she/it imbues present participle imbuing past tense imbued past participle imbued Phrasal verbs: imbue with … English dictionary
imbue — im|bue [ımˈbju:] v imbue with [imbue sb/sth with sth] phr v [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: imbuere to make wet, stain ] to make someone or something have a quality, idea, or emotion very strongly ▪ His philosophical writings are imbued with… … Dictionary of contemporary English
imbue — transitive verb (imbued; imbuing) Etymology: Latin imbuere Date: 1555 1. to permeate or influence as if by dyeing < the spirit that imbues the new constitution > 2. to tinge or dye deeply 3. endow 3 < Spanish missions imbue the city with Old… … New Collegiate Dictionary