Inscribableness In·scrib"a·ble·ness noun Quality of being inscribable.

Inscribe In·scribe" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Inscribed ; present participle & verbal noun Inscribing .] [ Latin inscribere . See 1st In- , and Scribe .] 1. To write or engrave; to mark down as something to be read; to imprint.

Inscribe a verse on this relenting stone.

Pope.

2. To mark with letters, characters, or words.

O let thy once lov'd friend inscribe thy stone.

Pope.

3. To assign or address to; to commend to by a short address; to dedicate informally; as, to inscribe an ode to a friend. Dryden.

4. To imprint deeply; to impress; to stamp; as, to inscribe a sentence on the memory.

5. (Geom.) To draw within so as to meet yet not cut the boundaries.

» A line is inscribed in a circle, or in a sphere, when its two ends are in the circumference of the circle, or in the surface of the sphere. A triangle is inscribed in another triangle, when the three angles of the former are severally on the three sides of the latter. A circle is inscribed in a polygon, when it touches each side of the polygon. A sphere is inscribed in a polyhedron, when the sphere touches each boundary plane of the polyhedron. The latter figure in each case is circumscribed about the former.

Inscriber In·scrib"er noun One who inscribes. Pownall.

Inscriptible In·scrip"ti·ble adjective Capable of being inscribed; inscribable.

Inscription In·scrip"tion noun [ Latin inscriptio , from inscribere , inscriptum , to inscribe: confer French inscription . See Inscribe .] 1. The act or process of inscribing.

2. That which is inscribed; something written or engraved; especially, a word or words written or engraved on a solid substance for preservation or public inspection; as, inscriptions on monuments, pillars, coins, medals, etc.

3. (Anat.) A line of division or intersection; as, the tendinous inscriptions , or intersections, of a muscle.

4. An address, consignment, or informal dedication, as of a book to a person, as a mark of respect or an invitation of patronage.

Inscriptive In·scrip"tive adjective Bearing inscription; of the character or nature of an inscription.

Inscroll In·scroll" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Inscrolled ; present participle & verbal noun Inscrolling .] To write on a scroll; to record. [ Written also inscrol .] Shak.

Inscrutability In·scru`ta·bil"i·ty noun The quality or state of being inscrutable; inscrutableness.

Inscrutable In·scru"ta·ble adjective [ Latin inscrutabilis : confer French inscrutable . See In- not, and Scrutiny .] Unsearchable; incapable of being searched into and understood by inquiry or study; impossible or difficult to be explained or accounted for satisfactorily; obscure; incomprehensible; as, an inscrutable design or event.

'T is not in man
To yield a reason for the will of Heaven
Which is inscrutable .

Beau. & Fl.

Waiving a question so inscrutable as this.

De Quincey.

Inscrutableness In·scru"ta·ble·ness noun The quality or state of being inscrutable; inscrutability.

Inscrutably In·scru"ta·bly adverb In an inscrutable manner.

Insculp In·sculp" transitive verb [ Latin insculpere : confer French insculper . See 1st In- , and Sculptor .] To engrave; to carve; to sculpture. [ Obsolete & R.] Shak.

Which he insculped in two likely stones.

Drayton.

Insculption In·sculp"tion noun Inscription. [ Obsolete]

Insculpture In·sculp"ture noun An engraving, carving, or inscription. [ Obsolete]

On his gravestone this insculpture .

Shak.

Insculptured In·sculp"tured p. adjective Engraved. Glover.

Inseam In·seam" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Inseamed ; present participle & verbal noun Inseaming .] To impress or mark with a seam or cicatrix. Pope.

Insearch In·search" transitive verb To make search after; to investigate or examine; to ensearch. [ Obsolete]

Insecable In·sec"a·ble (ĭn*sĕk"ȧ*b'l) adjective [ Latin insecabilis ; prefix in- not + secabilis that may be cut: confer French insecable .] Incapable of being divided by cutting; indivisible.

Insect In"sect (ĭn"sĕkt) noun [ French insecte , Latin insectum , from insectus , past participle of insecare to cut in. See Section . The name was originally given to certain small animals, whose bodies appear cut in , or almost divided. Confer Entomology .] 1. (Zoology) One of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See Insecta .

» The hexapod insects pass through three stages during their growth, viz., the larva, pupa, and imago or adult, but in some of the orders the larva differs little from the imago, except in lacking wings, and the active pupa is very much like the larva, except in having rudiments of wings. In the higher orders, the larva is usually a grub, maggot, or caterpillar, totally unlike the adult, while the pupa is very different from both larva and imago and is inactive, taking no food.

2. (Zoology) Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion.

3. (Zoology) Any small crustacean. In a wider sense, the word is often loosely applied to various small invertebrates.

4. Fig.: Any small, trivial, or contemptible person or thing. Thomson.

Insect powder , a powder used for the extermination of insects; esp., the powdered flowers of certain species of Pyrethrum , a genus now merged in Chrysanthemum . Called also Persian powder .

Insect In"sect adjective 1. Of or pertaining to an insect or insects.

2. Like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral.

Insecta In·sec"ta noun plural [ New Latin See Insect .] 1. (Zoology) One of the classes of Arthropoda, including those that have one pair of antennæ, three pairs of mouth organs, and breathe air by means of tracheæ, opening by spiracles along the sides of the body. In this sense it includes the Hexapoda, or six-legged insects and the Myriapoda, with numerous legs. See Insect , noun

2. (Zoology) In a more restricted sense, the Hexapoda alone. See Hexapoda .

3. (Zoology) In the most general sense, the Hexapoda, Myriapoda, and Arachnoidea, combined.

» The typical Insecta, or hexapod insects, are divided into several orders, viz.: Hymenoptera , as the bees and ants; Diptera , as the common flies and gnats; Aphaniptera , or fleas; Lepidoptera , or moths and butterflies; Neuroptera , as the ant-lions and hellgamite; Coleoptera , or beetles; Hemiptera , as bugs, lice, aphids; Orthoptera , as grasshoppers and cockroaches; Pseudoneuroptera , as the dragon flies and termites; Euplexoptera , or earwigs; Thysanura , as the springtails, podura, and lepisma. See these words in the Vocabulary.

Insectary In"sec·ta·ry noun A place for keeping living insects. -- In`sec*ta"ri*um noun [ Latin ]

Insectation In`sec·ta"tion noun [ Latin insectatio . See Insectator .] The act of pursuing; pursuit; harassment; persecution. [ Obsolete] Sir T. More.

Insectator In`sec·ta"tor noun [ Latin , from insectari to pursue, freq. from insequi . See Ensue .] A pursuer; a persecutor; a censorious critic. [ Obsolete] Bailey.

Insected In"sect·ed adjective Pertaining to, having the nature of, or resembling, an insect. Howell.

Insecticide In·sec"ti·cide noun [ Insect + Latin caedere to kill.] An agent or preparation for destroying insects; an insect powder. -- In*sec"ti*ci`dal adjective

Insectile In·sec"tile adjective Pertaining to, or having the nature of, insects. Bacon.

Insection In·sec"tion noun [ See Insect .] A cutting in; incisure; incision.

Insectivora In`sec·tiv"o·ra noun plural [ New Latin , from Latin insectum an insect + vorare to devour.] (Zoology) 1. An order of mammals which feed principally upon insects.

» They are mostly of small size, and their molar teeth have sharp cusps. Most of the species burrow in the earth, and many of those of cold climates hibernate in winter. The order includes the moles, shrews, hedgehogs, tanrecs, and allied animals, also the colugo.

2. A division of the Cheiroptera, including the common or insect-eating bats.

Insectivore In·sec"ti·vore noun ; plural Insectivores (-vōrz). [ French] (Zoology) One of the Insectivora.

Insectivorous In`sec·tiv"o·rous adjective [ See Insectivora .] Feeding or subsisting on insects; carnivorous. The term is applied: (a) to plants which have some special adaptation for catching and digesting insects, as the sundew, Venus's flytrap, Sarracenia, etc. (b) to the Insectivora, and to many bats, birds, and reptiles.

Insectologer In`sec·tol"o·ger noun An entomologist. [ Obsolete]

Insectology In`sec·tol"o·gy noun [ Insect + -logy : confer French insectologie .] Entomology. [ Obsolete]

Insecure In`se·cure" adjective 1. Not secure; not confident of safety or permanence; distrustful; suspicious; apprehensive of danger or loss.

With sorrow and insecure apprehensions.

Jer. Taylor.

2. Not effectually guarded, protected, or sustained; unsafe; unstable; exposed to danger or loss. Bp. Hurg.

The trade with Egypt was exceedingly insecure and precarious.

Mickle.

Insecurely In`se·cure"ly adverb In an insecure manner.

Insecureness In`se·cure"ness noun Insecurity.

Insecurity In`se·cu"ri·ty noun ; plural Insecurities . [ Prefix in- not + security : confer Late Latin insecuritas , French insecurite .] 1. The condition or quality of being insecure; want of safety; danger; hazard; as, the insecurity of a building liable to fire; insecurity of a debt.

2. The state of feeling insecure; uncertainty; want of confidence.

With what insecurity of truth we ascribe effects . . . unto arbitrary calculations.

Sir T. Browne.

A time of insecurity , when interests of all sorts become objects of speculation.

Burke.

Insecution In`se·cu"tion noun [ Latin insecutio , from insequi past participle insecutus . See Ensue .] A following after; close pursuit. [ Obsolete] Chapman.

Inseminate In·sem"i·nate transitive verb [ Latin inseminatus , past participle of inseminare to sow. See Seminate .] To sow; to impregnate. [ Obsolete]

Insemination In·sem`i·na"tion noun A sowing. [ Obsolete]

Insensate In·sen"sate adjective [ Latin insensatus . See In- not, and Sensate .] Wanting sensibility; destitute of sense; stupid; foolish.

The silence and the calm
Of mute, insensate things.

Wordsworth.

The meddling folly or insensate ambition of statesmen.

Buckle.

-- In*sen"sate*ly , adverb -- In*sen"sate*ness , noun

Insense In·sense" transitive verb [ Prefix in- in + sense .] To make to understand; to instruct. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Insensibility In·sen`si·bil"i·ty noun [ Confer French insensibilité .]

1. The state or quality of being insensible; want of sensibility; torpor; unconsciousness; as, the insensibility produced by a fall, or by opiates.

2. Want of tenderness or susceptibility of emotion or passion; dullness; stupidity.

Syn. -- Dullness; numbness; unfeelingness; stupidity; torpor; apathy; impassiveness; indifference.

Insensible In·sen"si·ble adjective [ Latin insensibilis : confer French insensible . See In- not, and Sensible .]

1. Destitute of the power of feeling or perceiving; wanting bodily sensibility. Milton.

2. Not susceptible of emotion or passion; void of feeling; apathetic; unconcerned; indifferent; as, insensible to danger, fear, love, etc.; -- often used with of or to .

Accept an obligation without being a slave to the giver, or insensible to his kindness.

Sir H. Wotton.

Lost in their loves, insensible of shame.

Dryden.

3. Incapable of being perceived by the senses; imperceptible. Hence: Progressing by imperceptible degrees; slow; gradual; as, insensible motion.

Two small and almost insensible pricks were found upon Cleopatra's arm.

Sir T. Browne.

They fall away,
And languish with insensible decay.

Dryden.

4. Not sensible or reasonable; meaningless. [ Obsolete]

If it make the indictment be insensible or uncertain, it shall be quashed.

Sir M. Hale.

Syn. -- Imperceptible; imperceivable; dull; stupid; torpid; numb; unfeeling; apathetic; stoical; impassive; indifferent; unsusceptible; hard; callous.

Insensibleness In·sen"si·ble·ness noun Insensibility. Bp. Hall.

Insensibly In·sen"si·bly adverb In a manner not to be felt or perceived; imperceptibly; gradually.

The hills rise insensibly .

Addison.

Insensitive In·sen"si·tive adjective Not sensitive; wanting sensation, or wanting acute sensibility. Tillotson. Ruskin.

Insensuous In·sen"su·ous adjective [ Prefix in- not + sensuous .] Not sensuous; not pertaining to, affecting, or addressing, the senses.

That intermediate door
Betwixt the different planes of sensuous form
And form insensuous .

Mrs. Browning.

Insentient In·sen"ti·ent adjective Not sentient; not having perception, or the power of perception.

The . . . attributes of an insentient , inert substance.

Reid.

But there can be nothing like to this sensation in the rose, because it is insentient .

Sir W. Hamilton.

Inseparability In·sep`a·ra·bil"i·ty noun [ Latin inseparabilitas : confer French inséparabilité .] The quality or state of being inseparable; inseparableness. Locke.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter I > Page 67 of 105.
« Previous ¦59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 ¦ Next »