abstersive

English

Alternative forms

• abstergent

Etymology

From Middle French abstersif, from Latin abstersus.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əbˈstɜː(ɹ).sɪv/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /æbˈstɝ.sɪv/, /əbˈstɝ.sɪv/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)sɪv

Adjective

abstersive (comparative more abstersive, superlative most abstersive)

1. Cleansing; purging; abstergent. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “That the taste of goods or evilles doth greatly depend on the opinion we have of them”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 137:

     If he cannot digeſt a ſtrong and abſterſive drugge, for to remove his evill, let him at leaſt take a lenitive pill to eaſe the ſame.

   • 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “I. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 65, pages 21–22:

     Therefore it is good, after Purging, to vſe Apozumes, and Broths, not ſo much Opening as thoſe vſed before Purging, but Abſterſiue and Mundifying Cliſters alſo are good to conclude with, to draw away the Reliques of the Humours, that may haue deſcended to the Lower Region of the Body.

   • 1671, Robert Boyle, “An Introduction to the History of Particular Qualities. Chapter I.”, in Robert Boyle, Tracts […]. About the Cosmicall Qualities of Things. […], London: […] W[illiam] H[all] for Ric[hard] Davis, →OCLC, page 6:

     [S]ome Bodies taken into that of a Man, are deoppilating, others inciding, reſolving, diſcuſſing, ſuppurating, abſterſive of noxious adherences, and thickning the Blood and humors, being aſtringent, Anodinous or appeaſing paine &c.

Derived terms

• abstersiveness

 

Translations

cleansing, purging

• Catalan: abstersiu
• Dutch: zuiverend (nl), reinigend (nl)
• Italian: astersivo
• Portuguese: abstersivo
• Spanish: abstersivo (es)

Noun

abstersive (plural abstersives)

1. (now rare) Something cleansing; detergent; abstergent. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
   • 1645 March 14 (Gregorian calendar), John Milton, Tetrachordon: Expositions upon the Foure Chief Places in Scripture, which Treat of Mariage, or Nullities in Mariage. […], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 11:

     […] the ſtrong abſterſive of ſom heroick magiſtrat […]

French

Adjective

abstersive

1. feminine singular of abstersif