Adjacent Words

Instill definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

INSTILL', v.t. [L. instillo; in and stillo, to drop.]
1. To infuse by drops.
2. To infuse slowly, or by small quantities; as, to instill good principles into the mind.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: impart gradually; "Her presence instilled faith into the children"; "transfuse love of music into the students" [syn: instill, transfuse]
2: enter drop by drop; "instill medication into my eye" [syn: instill, instil]
3: produce or try to produce a vivid impression of; "Mother tried to ingrain respect for our elders in us" [syn: impress, ingrain, instill]
4: teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions; "inculcate values into the young generation" [syn: inculcate, instill, infuse]
5: fill, as with a certain quality; "The heavy traffic tinctures the air with carbon monoxide" [syn: impregnate, infuse, instill, tincture]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin instillare, from in- + stillare to drip, from stilla drop Date: 15th century 1. to cause to enter drop by drop <instill medication into the infected eye> 2. to impart gradually <instilling a love of learning in children> Synonyms: see implant • instillation noun • instiller noun • instillment noun

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.

Moby Thesaurus

beat into, besprinkle, brainwash, breathe, brew, catechize, color, condition, decoct, dredge, dye, engrave, entincture, etch, flavor, grave, imbrue, imbue, implant, impregnate, impress, imprint, inculcate, indoctrinate, infiltrate, infix, infuse, inoculate, inscribe, inseminate, leaven, penetrate, permeate, pervade, program, saturate, season, stamp, steep, suffuse, temper, tincture, tinge, transfuse