;Posted on 12/02/2015 4:57:46 AM PST by Louis Foxwell
;In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
(imbrue) [im BROOH]
verb
To imbrue something is to soak or drench it, especially with blood. It is not to be confused with imbue (im BYOOH), used in connection with inspiring a person with opinions or sentiments (e.g., to imbue someone with patriotism).
According to the dictionaries, it, too, can mean to "drench with blood," but this must be a rare use indeed.
The English poet John Milton (1608-1674) wrote of "Derwen stream (the River Derwen) in Lancanshire with blood of Scots imbrued."
The hands of both Macbeth and his Lady were imbrued after the slaughter of Duncan (Shakespeare's Macbeth, Act II, Scene 3).
In Pyramus and Thisbe, the play within a play in Midsummer-Night's Dream (Act V, Scene 1) Thisbe, finding Pyramus dead, moans:
Asleep, my love?
What, dead, my dove?
O pyramus, arise!
Speak, speak! Quite dumb?
Dead, dead! O tomb
Must cover thy sweet eyes...
Come, trusty sword:
Come, blade, my breast imbrue....
and, true to stage directions, stabs herself.
In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2 (Act II, Scene 4), in a brawl scene, Falstaff tells Bardolph to quoit (throw) Pistol downstairs, and Pistol snatching up his sword, cries: "What! Shall we have incision? Shall we imbrue?"
Imbrue is, via Old French imbruever, from Late Latin imbioberare, based on Latin imbibere (to drink in), whereas imbue is from latin imbuere (to steep, soak).
When I have chicken noodle soup I breakup saltines over the bowl and let them imbrue in the chicken broth.
YUM!
A blood infusion need not be of a violent nature. We certainly need our body politic to be imbrued with purifying blood.
Have at it, wordsmiths and poets alike. Awards to follow.
The tree of liberty must be imbrued from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
What did the PBR say to the BUD? Imbrue and UR2!
You are making me hungry! :)
‘Tho I fall with my own heart’s blood imbued,
I know with steadfast certitude;
That tyrants yet have never trod,
On a soul that is betrothed to God.
Yet, cereal imbrued with milk is just a soggy mess.
used to be imbrue...now it’s imcaitlyn
Was with the Boy Scout troop many years ago picking up trash alongside the local Appalachian foothills lake. The boys found not trash and garbage, but an old rusted still that had obviously been used to make a clear imbrewed liquid of dubious tax origins.
We need a student ping.
what a cool find!
Obama is inbrued with the blood of ISIS victims!
Louis—I didn’t get pinged today. Please check your Ping list.
ISIS, with its bloodbath, doth imbrue
The Christian, certain Muslims, and the Jew
Barack Obama’s reply
Is the Climate Change lie
“Not Jihadists, but sunny weather kills you”
Crackers in soup? Tell me more. ;-)
Learning curve is a sharp incline for some, particularly if the newbie jumps in without checking the bottom.
Nobody got pinged. I screwed up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.