Word Study
imbue
CIDE DICTIONARY
imbue, v. t. [L. imbuere; pref. im- in + perh. a disused simple word akin to L. bibere to drink. Cf. Imbibe.].
- To tinge deeply; to dye; to cause to absorb; as, clothes thoroughly imbued with black. [1913 Webster]
- To tincture deply; to cause to become impressed or penetrated; as, to imbue the minds of youth with good principles. [1913 Webster]"Thy words with grace divine
Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
imbue, v.tr. (imbues, imbued, imbuing) (often foll. by with)
1 inspire or permeate (with feelings, opinions, or qualities).
2 saturate.
3 dye.
1 inspire or permeate (with feelings, opinions, or qualities).
2 saturate.
3 dye.
Etymology
orig. as past part., f. F imbu or L imbutus f. imbuere moisten
THESAURUS
imbue
animate, apply paint, bathe, beat into, bedaub, bedizen, begild, besmear, bespread, besprinkle, brainwash, breathe, brew, brush on paint, calcimine, catechize, coat, color, complexion, condition, cover, crawl with, creep with, dab, daub, decoct, deep-dye, diffuse, dip, distemper, double-dye, douche, dredge, drench, drouk, dye, emblazon, embue, enamel, engild, enliven, entincture, exhilarate, extend throughout, face, fast-dye, fill, fire, flavor, flush, fresco, gild, glaze, gloss, grain, honeycomb, hue, illuminate, imbrue, implant, impregnate, impress, inculcate, indoctrinate, infect, infiltrate, infix, inform, infuse, ingrain, inject, inoculate, inspire, inspirit, instill, invest, japan, lacquer, lave, lay on color, leach, leave no void, leaven, lixiviate, macerate, occupy, overrun, overspread, overswarm, paint, parget, penetrate, percolate, permeate, pervade, pigment, prime, program, rinse, run through, saturate, season, seethe, shade, shadow, shellac, slop on paint, smear, soak, sodden, sop, souse, spirit, spirit up, stain, steep, stipple, suffuse, swarm with, teem with, temper, tinct, tincture, tinge, tint, tone, transfuse, undercoat, varnish, wash, waterlog, whitewashROGET THESAURUS
imbue
Mixture
VB mix, join, combine, commix, immix, intermix, mix up with, mingle, commingle, intermingle, bemingle, shuffle, pound together, hash up, stir up, knead, brew, impregnate with, interlard, intertwine, interweave, associate with, miscegenate, be mixed, get among, be entangled with, instill, imbue, infuse, suffuse, transfuse, infiltrate, dash, tinge, tincture, season, sprinkle, besprinkle, attemper, medicate, blend, cross, alloy, amalgamate, compound, adulterate, sophisticate, infect.Insertion
VB insert, introduce, intromit, put into, run into, import, inject, interject, infuse, instill, inoculate, impregnate, imbue, imbrue, graft, ingraft, bud, plant, implant, dovetail, obtrude, thrust in, stick in, ram in, stuff in, tuck in, press, in, drive in, pop in, whip in, drop in, put in, impact, empierce, imbed, immerse, immerge, merge, bathe, soak, dip, plunge, bury, insert itself, lodge itself, plunge in medias res.Moisture
VB moisten, wet, humect, humectate, sponge, damp, bedew, imbue, imbrue, infiltrate, saturate, soak, drench, be moist, not have a dry thread, perspire.Color
VB color, dye, tinge, stain, tint, tinct, paint, wash, ingrain, grain, illuminate, emblazon, bedizen, imbue, paint.Teaching
VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.For further exploring for "imbue" in Webster Dictionary Online