imboss

English

Etymology 1

Verb

imboss (third-person singular simple present imbosses, present participle imbossing, simple past and past participle imbossed)

1. Archaic form of emboss.
   • 1612, Michael Drayton, “The Fift Song”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] H[umphrey] L[ownes] for Mathew Lownes; I. Browne; I. Helme; I. Busbie, published 1613, →OCLC, page 75:

     [S]o glorious vvas her Throne, / In vvhich himſelfe to ſit great Neptune had been knovvn; / […] / No Fiſh in this vvide vvaſte but vvith exceeding coſt / VVas there in Antique vvorke moſt curiouſly imboſt.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1070–1071:

     His Cattel muſt of Rot and Murren die, / Botches and blaines muſt all his fleſh imboſs, / And all his people; […]

   • 1676 January, [Robert] Boyle, “Experiments about the Superficial Figures of Fluids, especially Liquors Contiguous to Other Liquors, and Their Reflective Powers”, in John Lowthorp, Henry Jones, editors, The Philosophical Transactions and Collections, to the End of the Year 1720. Abridged, and Disposed under General Heads. […], 4th edition, London: […] J. and J. Knapton, […], published 1732, →OCLC, paragraph 22, page 535:

     This may alſo be obſerv'd in the beſt ſort of vvhat the Chymiſts call Regulus Martis Stellatus, vvhere the Figure of a Star, or a Figure ſomevvhat like that of the Decoction of the Soot lately mentioned, vvill frequently appear imboſt upon the upper Superficies of the Regulus; and ſuch a raiſed Figure I have ſeen on a Maſs of Regulus made of Antimony vvithout Mars.

   • 1785, William Cowper, “Book I. The Sofa.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson;  […], →OCLC, page 7:

     I fed on ſcarlet hips and ſtoney havvs, / Or bluſhing crabs, or berries that imboſs / The bramble, black as jet, or ſloes auſtere.

Etymology 2

Verb

imboss (third-person singular simple present imbosses, present participle imbossing, simple past and past participle imbossed)

1. (archaic or obsolete) Alternative spelling of emboss
   • 1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of Moderation a Spice of Temperance”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published [1907], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 261:

     I suppose (except I be moche deceiued) thou seest me nat stare with myn eyen, or my mouthe imbosed, or the colour of my face chaunged, or any other deformitie in my persone or gesture, or that my wordes be swyfte, or my voyce louder than modestie requyreth, or that I am unstable in my gesture or motion, whiche be the sygnes and euident tokens of wrathe and impacience.

   • 1602, William Warner, “The Seventh Booke. Chapter XXVI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 175:

     But ſee, ah ſee, I ſee hovv Loue caſts off Deſire his Hound, / A fell fleet Dogge, that hunts my Heart by parſee each-vvheare found. / Svveet Cynthea rate the eger Curre, and ſo thy foe preuent, / For, loe, a farre my chaſed Heart imboſte and almoſt ſpent.

   • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi], page 244, column 2:

     [W]e haue almoſt imboſt him, you ſhall ſee his fall to night; for indeede he is not for your Lordſhippes reſpect.

     [W]e have almost exhausted him; you shall see his fall tonight, for indeed he is not worthy of your Lordship's respect.

   • 1605, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Matilda”, in Poems: […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, […], published 1613, →OCLC, signature Gg2, verso:

     VVhen like a Deere before the hounds imboſte, / VVhen him his ſtrength beginneth to forſake, / […] / Thus ſtill I ſhift me from the Princes face, / VVhich hath me novv continually in chaſe.

   • 1615, G[ervase] M[arkham], “[The Husbandmans Recreations: […].] Of Hunting, and of All the Particular Knowledges Belonging therunto.”, in Countrey Contentments, in Two Bookes: The First, Containing the Whole Art of Riding Great Horses in Very Short Time, […] The Second Intituled, The English Huswife: […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for R[oger] Iackson, […], →OCLC, 1st section ([Of Hunting]), page 31:

     [I]t is the nature of a Deare vvhen he is once imboſt, or vvearie, to ſeeke vvhere he may find another Deare, and to beate him vp and lay himſelfe dovvne in his place.

     An adjective use.

   • 1651, William D’avenant [i.e., William Davenant], “The First Book. Canto the Second.”, in Gondibert: An Heroick Poem, London: […] [Thomas Newcomb?] for John Holden, […], →OCLC, stanza 49, page 20:

     For on the Shore the Hunters him [a stag] attend; / And vvhilſt the Chace grevv vvarm as is the day / (VVhich novv from the hot Zenith does deſcend) / He is imbos'd, and vveary'd to a Bay.

   • 1624, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Iob Militant. Meditat[ion] 19.”, in Divine Poems: […], revised edition, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for I[ohn] Marriot, […], published 1634, →OCLC, page 264:

     Great God! my Time's but ſhort, and long my vvay, / My heart hath loſt her Path, and gone aſtray, / My ſpirit's faint, and fraile, my ſoule's imboſt, / If thou helpe not, I am for ever loſt; […]

   • a. 1681, Samuel Butler, “The Elephant in the Moon”, in R[obert] Thyer, editor, The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr. Samuel Butler, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1759, →OCLC, page 8, lines 125–126 and 129–130:

     An Elephant from one of thoſe / Tvvo mighty Armies is broke looſe, / […] / Look quickly, leſt the Sight of us / Should cauſe the ſtartled Beaſt t’imboſs.

Further reading

• “imboss”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.