ingrain

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to fix firmly in the mind or character; to dye thoroughly

   Years of drill had ingrained the routine so deeply he could do it asleep.

From in- ('in') + grain, originally engrained, from the phrase 'dyed in grain' (dyed in the raw fiber, using cochineal/kermes, hence fast and thorough). 'Grain' is from Old French grain, from Latin granum ('seed, grain').

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