entry
infuse
/ɪnˈfjuːz/To fill with a quality or steep in liquid
From Latin in- (in) + Latin fundere (to pour).
from Latin infusus, past participle of infundere "to pour into, pour out; press in, crowd in; mix, mingle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English infusen
Word Ancestry
from Latin infusus, past participle of infundere "to pour into, pour out; press in, crowd in; mix, mingle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English infusen
Picture a Roman pouring liquid into a vessel: that simple physical action lies behind Latin infundere, built from in- “into” and fundere “to pour.” Its past participle, infusus, traveled into Middle English as infusen, recorded by the early 15th century, carrying both literal senses—steeping tea—and figurative ones, such as pouring a quality into a person. The fundere family is surprisingly crowded: it also stands behind fusion, diffuse, profuse, and the etymological family of found, while inspiration belongs to a different but equally vivid image—breathing something into someone. So to infuse courage is, etymologically, to pour it in until the person seems saturated with it.
The Story
Picture a Roman pouring liquid into a vessel: that simple physical action lies behind Latin infundere, built from in- “into” and fundere “to pour.” Its past participle, infusus, traveled into Middle English as infusen, recorded by the early 15th century, carrying both literal senses—steeping tea—and figurative ones, such as pouring a quality into a person. The fundere family is surprisingly crowded: it also stands behind fusion, diffuse, profuse, and the etymological family of found, while inspiration belongs to a different but equally vivid image—breathing something into someone. So to infuse courage is, etymologically, to pour it in until the person seems saturated with it.
Modern Usage
A semi-professional critical-operations player who frequently screams at an iPad, according to a Urban Dictionary entry.
Popularized by: Urban Dictionary
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entry using “infuse” as a player label
Kin & Kindred
From 'in-'·in, into
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'fundere'·to pour, melt
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary