inflated 
inflated bladderwovt : applied in conchology to 
rotund shells of light, thin texture, in contra- 
distinction from ventricose. 2. Turgid; bom- 
bastic; pompous: as, inflated oratory Inflated 
antenna or pedlpalp, one having the terminal joint 
much larger than the rest and irregularly globular. In- 
flated joint, a joint that is round and bladder-like, 
inflater (in-fla'ter), . [< inflate + -*.] One 
who or that which inflates or distends; spe- 
cifically, one who inflates prices. As applied 
to certain mechanical appliances, also spelled 
inflator. 
The clamor of contending inflate. ... at the stock 
exchange. The American, VIII. 84. 
inflatile (in-fla'til), a. [= OF. inflatil, < LL. 
inflatilis, of or for blowing, < inflare, blow in : 
see inflate and Jlatile.] In music, sounded by 
means of air: as, inflatile instruments (that is, 
wind-instruments). 
inflatingly (in-fla'ting-li), adv. In a manner 
tending to inflate. 
inflation (iu-fla'shon), n. [= P. inflation = Pr. 
inflacio, enflazon = Sp. inflation = Pg. inflaqao 
= It. enfiagione,< L. inflation-), a blowing into, 
blowing wp,<inflare, blow into: see < inflate.'] 1. 
The act of inflating or distending with air or gas. 
The improvements that have been made in the manage- 
ment and inflation of balloons in the last ninety years 
have only had reference to details. Encyc. Brit., 1. 189. 
2. The state of being inflated or distended; 
distention : as, the inflation of the lungs. 3. 
Undue expansion or elevation; increase be- 
yond the proper or just amount or value : as, 
inflation of trade, currency, or prices ; inflation 
of stocks (that is, of the price of stocks). 4. 
The state of being puffed up ; turgidness ; pre- 
tentiousness ; conceit: as, inflation of style or 
manner. 
If they should confidently praise their works, 
In them it would appear inflation. 
B. Jonson, Poetaster, v. 1. 
inflationist (in-fla'shon-ist), n. [< inflation + 
-fo.] One who inflates; one who causes or 
favors inflation ; specifically, in the United 
States, one who favors increased issues of pa- 
per money : opposed to con tractionist. 
Mr. M. . . . will have double work to do trying to get 
the inflationists to be satisfied with the "Fathers' Dol- 
lar." The Nation, XXVII. 169. 
The cry that we want "sufficient money for the de- 
mands of trade " is the cry of the inflationist, the dema- 
gogue, or the ignoramus. N. A. Rev., CXLIII. 100. 
inflator, . See inflater. 
inflatus (in-fla'tus), TO. [L., a blowing into, < 
inflare, blow into: see inflate."] A blowing or 
breathing into; hence, inspiration; afflatus: 
as, "ineffable inflatus," Mrs. Browning. 
inflect (in-flekf), v. [= F. inflechir = It. inflet- 
tere, <. L. inflectere, bend, inflect, < in, in, + 
flectere,bend: see/e-c 1 .] I. trans. 1. To bend; 
turn from a direct line or course. 
Are they [rays of light] not reflected, refracted, and in- 
fleeted by one and the same principle? Newton, Opticks. 
The outer integument is inflected inwards, . . . and be- 
coming of excessive tenuity, runs to near the bottom of 
the sack. Darwin, Cirripedia, p. 53. 
2. In gram., to vary, as a noun or verb, by 
change of form, especially in regard to end- 
ings ; decline, as a noun -or adjective, or conju- 
gate, as a verb ; more specifically, to denote a 
change of office in (words), not by added ele- 
ments only, but more or less by alteration of 
the stem or root itself. 
The irreconcilability of the Norman and the Saxon modes 
of inflecting adjectives compelled the English to discard 
them both. G. P. Marsh, Lects. on Eng. Lang., xxiv. 
3. To modulate, as the voice. 
II. intrans. To receive inflection; undergo 
grammatical changes of form. 
The verb inflects with remarkable regularity. 
Science, III. 550. 
inflected (in-flek'ted), p. a. 1. Bent or turned 
from a direct line or course : as, an inflected ray 
of light. 2. In sool., anat., and hot., bent or 
turned inward or downward: as, the inflect- 
ed mandibular angle of marsupials; inflected 
leaves, stamens, or petals. 3. In gram., denot- 
ing change of office by variation of form: as, 
an inflected verb Inflected arch, or curve, an ogee 
arch or curve. 
inflection, inflexion (in-flek'shon), n. [Prop. 
inflexion (cf. flection, flexion); = F. inflexion = 
Sp. inflexion = Pg. inflexao = It. inflessione, < 
L. inflexio(n-), a bending. < inflectere, pp. in- 
flexus, bend: see inflect.'] 1. The act of in- 
flecting, or the state of being inflected ; a bend 
or bending. 
They affirm it [the elephant] hath no joynt, and yet 
concede it walks and moves about ; whereby they conceive 
3086 
inflicter 
[<j-i + fit-all.] Same 
there may he a progression or advancement made in mo- inflesh (ill-flesh'), V. t. 
tion without inflexion of parts. ag ciiflesh. 
St r r. Aw*. \ nig Err., Id 1. -^ ^ and man . g flegh delfled 
The first step is seen to be the subdivision of the endo- p Fletcher, Purple Island, vi. 
chronynd the inflexion of the ectoplasm around H. ^ ^^ ^ ^ .^^ S(mthey 
2 In optics, the peculiar modification or devia- infiex (in-fleks'), v. t. [< .L. inflexus, pp. of ra- 
tion which light undergoes in passing the edges flectere, bend : see ^nflect.] To inflect ; bend ; 
of an opaque body, usually attended by the Hex or curve inward. 
'--- -a - -i j jj_i . ... ..,,!,. David's right-heartedness became inflcx'd and crooked. 
Feltham, On Luke xiv. 20. 
formation of colored fringes : more commonly 
culled diffraction 
Turned; bent. Sp 
The course of Light-rays is altered not only by refraction inflexed (in-flekst'), p. a. 
when they pass from one transparent medium into ano- ciflcaUy -(o) In hot., bent inward. An inflexed 
ther, and ny reflexion when they fall on polished surfaces 
which they do not enter, but also by inflection at the 
edges of objects by which they pass. 
W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 156. 
3. In gram., the variation of nouns, etc., by 
declension, and of verbs by conjugation ; more 
specifically, variationin part by internal change, 
and not by added elements alone. 
Inflections are the changes made in the forms of words, 
to indicate either their grammatical relations to other 
words in the same period, or some accidental condition of 
the thing expressed by the inflected word. 
G. P. Marsh, Lects. on Eng. Lang., xv. 
We have ... as corresponding present and preterit, I 
lead and I led, ... I give and I gave. These two are the 
only tenses distinguished by real inflection in our verb. 
W hitney, Essentials of Eng. Grammar, p. 103. 
4. Modulation of the voice in speaking, or any 
change in the pitch or tone of the voice in sing- 
ing 
one that is curved upward and has the apex turned in- 
ward toward the stem. ((/) In zool., inflected; bent or 
folded downward or inward : as, an inflexed margin. 
The inflexed portions of the elytra, along the sides, are 
called epipleurse. Leconte. 
Inflexed head, in entom., a head so much bent that the 
superior surface forms an acute angle with the pronotum, 
as in a roach. 
inflexibility (in-flek-si-bil'i-ti), n. [ F. in- 
flexibiliti = Sp. inflexibilidad = Pg. inflexibili- 
dade = It. inflesnibilita ; as inflexible + -ity : see 
-bility.] The quality of being inflexible ; inca- 
pability of being bent; unyielding stiffness; ob- 
stinacy of will or temper; firmness of purpose. 
That grave inflexibility of soul 
Which reason can't convince, nor fear control. 
Churchill. 
The airs [of the Spanish muleteer) are rude and simple, 
consisting of but few inflections. Irving, Alhambra, p. 13. 
=Syn. Tenacity, resolution, perseverance; doggedness, 
stubbornness, obstinacy, 
inflexible (in-flek'si-bl), o. [= F. inflexible = 
Sp. inflexible = Pg. inflexivel = It. inflcssibile, < 
L. iiiflexibilis, that cannot be bent, < in- priv. 
5. In geom., the place on a curve where a tan- + flinbilis, that can be bent : see flexible.~\ 1. 
gent moving along the curve by a rolling mo- Not flexible ; incapable of bending or of being 
tion changes the direction of its turning, and bent ; rigid : as, an inflexible rod. 
begins to turn back ; a stationary tangent. The i had previously seen snakes in frosty mornings in my 
point of tangency at an inflection is called a point of in- pa th with portions of their bodies still numb and inflexi- 
flection or point of contrary flexure ; but as it is now usual w,, waitini " 
to consider a curve as being as much generated by the 
rolling tangent as by the moving point, geometricians 
speak of the inflection, meaning the tangent which be- 
comes here for an instant stationary, and do not mention 
the point without special reason for doing so. Plane in- 
flection, a stationary osculating plane in the generation 
of a non-plane curve. Through three consecutive points 
of the curve let a plane be described; then, if the infi- 
nitely neighboring parts of the curve preceding and fol- 
lowing these points lie on opposite sides of the plane, 
there is a plane inflection at that place ; otherwise, not. 
Or, the tortuous curve may be considered as the envelop 
of a moving plane, and this plane as always turning about 
an instantaneous axis lying within itself ; then, where the 
direction of rotation of the plane is reversed, there is a 
plane inflection. = Syn, 4. Inflection, Modulation, Accent. 
Inflection and modulation may be the same, but modula- 
g for the sun to thaw them out. 
Thoreav, Walden, p. 46. 
2. Unyielding in temper or purpose ; that will 
not yield to prayers or arguments ; firm in pur- 
pose ; incapable of being turned ; not to be pre- 
vailed on. 
Let him look into the errors of Phocion, and he will be- 
ware how he be obstinate or inflexible. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, i. 20. 
Be not unlike all others, not austere 
As thou art strong, inflexible as steel. 
Milton, 8. A., 1. 816. 
A man of an upright and inflexible temper, in the exe- 
cutions of his country's laws, can overcome all private 
fear. Addison. 
tion is always musical and agreeable while inflection may 3 Not to be changed or altered ; unalterable ; 
be harsh ; modulation also may refer to more delicate 
changes of pitch in the voice than are expressed by inflec- not permitting variation. 
tion. Accent is used to express such habitual inflections 
or modulation* as mark a person, district, race, rank, etc.: 
as, an Irish accent ; the Parisian accent. See emphasis. 
inflectional, inflexional (in-flek'shon-al), a. 
[< inflection, inflexion, + -al.] 1. Pertaining to 
The nature of things is inflexible. Watts. 
In religion the law is written and inflexible. 
Goldsmith, Vicar, xxi. 
= Syn, 1. Rigid, stiff. 2. Inexorable, inflexible, resolute, 
steadfast, unbending, unyielding, immovable, unrelenting; 
.- , . .' _ " . ' _ T - T_*T_*i* BlGttUlnBl, UIIU1-IIU11I, UI1J1L.1U1 
or having inflection. 2. In gram., exhibiting obstinate, stubborn, dogged. 
inflection; inflective; pertaining to inflection, inflexibleness (in-flek'si-bl-nes), . Inflexibil- 
The radical nature of the vowel sounds, together with ity. 
the delicate inflexional machinery of the Aryan languages, inflexibly (in-flek'si-bli), adv. In an inflexible 
must be reckoned among the chief reasons why the final , n iiev vimrllv inpvornrilv 
stages of alphabetic development should in so many cases mannw > rigidly , mexor, 
have been effected by Aryan nations. All those who adhered inflexibly to the Jacobite Inter- 
Imac Taylor, The Alphabet, I. 49. est opposed every step that was made with great vehe- 
Inflectional languages. See under agglutinateIn- mence - "*> Bu >' net ' Hl8t ' Own Times ' " 1706 ' 
flectlonal tangent of a plane curve, the tangent at inflexion, inflexional, etc. See inflection, etc. 
inflection. See inflection, 5.- Inflectional tangents to i n fl ex i v el (in-flek'siv), a. [< inflex + -me.~] In- 
a surface at any given point, in geom., two lines having " 
each a three-point contact with the surface : they are the 
asymptotes of the indicatrix, and of course are only real infleXlVO 2 (m-flek Siv), a. [< IH-* + flextve.] Ill- 
incase the surface is _saddle-8haped. flexible; inexorable. [Rare.] 
And to beare safe the burthen undergone 
Of foes inflexiue, and inhuman hates, 
Secure from violent and harmeful fates. 
Chapman, tr. of Homer's Ode to Mars. 
[< inflex + -tire. Cf. 
flexure.'] An inflection; a bend or fold. 
tangent of a plane curve, tne tangent at inflexion, inflexional, etc. See z 
See inflection, 5.- Inflectional tangents to i nnex i v ei (in-flek'siv), a. [< inflex 
t any given point, in geom., two lines having " ' \ D -i " 
e-point contact with the surface : they are the . nectiye. ^ [Kare.J _ _ 
of the indicatrix, and of course are only real 
... surface is saddle-shaped. 
inflectionless, inflexionless (in-flek'shon-les), 
a. [< inflection, inflexion, + -lens.] Character- 
ized by loss or absence of inflection. 
The language [modern English] had at length reached 
the all but inflexionlesi state which it now presents. inflexure (in-flek'sur), n. 
J. A. H. Murray, Encyc. Brit., VIII. 398. - -"" 
The contrivance of nature is singular in the opening 
and shutting of bindeweeds, performed by five infleiure*. 
Sir T. Browne, Garden of Cyrus, iii. 
, t. 
inflective (in-flek'tiv), a. [< inflect + -ire. Cf. 
inflexive 1 .] 1. Having the power of bending. 
Although this inflective quality of the air be a great in- 
cumbrance and confusion of astronomical observations, inflict (in-flikf), V. t. [< L. inflictus, pp. of iii- 
yet is it not without some considerable benefit to naviga- jHjJJL 7> B it flianere Sr> Pe Pr inHit/i ' 
Ji. 'Hooke, Posth. Works (ed. Derham), Navigation, p. 446. F.'infliger), strike on or against, < in, on, + fli- 
2. In gram., exhibiting or characterized by in- gere, strike. Cf. afflict, conflict.'] To lay on in- 
flection, or variation of the grammatical char- impose as something that must be borne or sut- 
acter of words in part by internal change : dis- * ered ; cause to be suffered : as, to inflict pun- 
tinguished from agglutinative. 
The Caucasian dialects present many exceptional and 
difficult features, and are in great part of so high a grade 
of structure as to have been allowed the epithet inflective 
by those who attach special importance to the distinction 
thus expressed. Whitney, Encyc. Brit., XVIII. 780. 
infledged (in-flejd'), a. [< i/i-3 + fledged.] 
Not feathered; unfledged. [Bare.] 
He therein made nests for many birds which otherwise. 
ishment on offenders; to inflict a penalty on 
transgressors. 
On him, amidst the flying numbers found, 
Eurypylus inflicts a deadly wound. 
Pope, Iliad, v. 1W. 
Death . . . was never mflictt'd except for murder. 
Bancroft, Hist. U. S., I. 251. 
So ended the year 1744, during which a fearful sum of 
human misery had been inflicted on the world. 
Lecky, Eng. in ISth. Cent., iii. 
being either inflnlyed or maimed, must have been ex- . 
posed to wind and weather. Fuller, Worthies, Berkshire, inflicter (m-flik'ter), n. One who inflicts. 
