Adjacent Words

instil definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: enter drop by drop; "instill medication into my eye" [syn: instill, instil]

Merriam Webster's

chiefly British variant of instill

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (US instill) (instilled, instilling) (often foll. by into) 1 introduce (a feeling, idea, etc.) into a person's mind etc. gradually. 2 put (a liquid) into something in drops. Derivatives: instillation n. instiller n. instilment n. Etymology: L instillare (as IN-(2), stillare drop): cf. DISTIL

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Instill In*still", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Instilling.] [L. instillare, instillatum; pref. in- in + stillare to drop, fr. stilla a drop: cf. F. instiller. See Distill.] [Written also instil.] To drop in; to pour in drop by drop; hence, to impart gradually; to infuse slowly; to cause to be imbibed. That starlight dews All silently their tears of love instill. --Byron. How hast thou instilled Thy malice into thousands. --Milton. Syn: To infuse; impart; inspire; implant; inculcate; insinuate.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(instils, instilling, instilled) Note: in AM, use 'instill' If you instil an idea or feeling in someone, especially over a period of time, you make them think it or feel it. They hope that their work will instil a sense of responsibility in children... The motive of the executions would be to instil fear. VERB: V n in/into n, V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. [Written also Instill.] 1. Infuse, insinuate. 2. Inculcate, impress, enforce, implant, ingraft.