imbrue

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪmˈbɹuː/ UK /ɪmˈbruː/ See IPA manual

Freq #242600

Meanings

1

verb
literary: to stain or soak something deeply, especially with blood

The violent account seemed to imbrue every page with blood.
2

verb
literary: to permeate or impregnate something with a quality or substance

Years of hardship imbrued his stories with bitterness.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · literary: to stain or soak... stain soak drench saturate

2 verb · literary: to permeate or... permeate imbue steep suffuse

Opposites

cleanse purify dry

Word family

Forms imbruedimbruing

Derived forms imbruedimbruingimbruement

Related forms imbue imbibe stain drench

Etymology

From Middle English embrewen and Old French embruer or embreuver, 'to moisten or soak,' probably altered from a verb meaning 'give to drink.' That verb ultimately goes back to Latin bibere, 'to drink.' The frequent literary association with blood developed from the broader sense 'stain or saturate.'

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# imbrue

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈbɹuː/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈbruː/
**Frequency rank:** 242600

## Meanings
1. literary: to stain or soak something deeply, especially with blood
2. literary: to permeate or impregnate something with a quality or substance

## Examples
- The violent account seemed to imbrue every page with blood.
- Years of hardship imbrued his stories with bitterness.

## Synonyms
- stain
- soak
- drench
- saturate
- permeate
- imbue

## Antonyms
- cleanse
- purify
- dry

## Derived Forms
- imbrued
- imbruing
- imbruement

## Related Forms
- imbue
- imbibe
- stain
- drench

## Etymology
From Middle English embrewen and Old French embruer or embreuver, 'to moisten or soak,' probably altered from a verb meaning 'give to drink.' That verb ultimately goes back to Latin bibere, 'to drink.' The frequent literary association with blood developed from the broader sense 'stain or saturate.'

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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