•INF 
not of equal dignity, yet is as near approaching to it as 
our modern barbarifm will allow ; and therefore we are 
to reft contented with that only inferiority which is not 
poftibly to be remedied. Drydcn. 
INFE'RIORNESS, f Inferiority. 
INFER'NAL, adj. [Fr . infernus, Lat.} Hcililh ; tarta- 
rean ; deteftable : 
His gigantic limbs with large embrace. 
Infolds nine acres of infernal lpace. Drydcn. 
INFERNAL STONE, f Infernal Jlone , or the lunar 
cauftic, is prepared from an evaporated folution of filver, 
or from cryftals of filver. It is a very powerful cauftic, 
eating away the fifth and even the bones to which it is 
applied. Hill's Mat. Medica. 
INFER'NALNESS, f. The ftate of being infernal. 
Scott. 
INFER'TILE, adj. [Fr. from in and fertile .] Unfruit¬ 
ful; not produftive; wanting fecundity ; infecund.—Ig¬ 
norance being of itfelf like ftifF clay, an infertile foil, when 
pride conies to fcorch -and harden it, it grows perfectly 
impenetrable. Government of the Tongue. 
INFER'TILENESS,/! Infertility. Scott. 
INFERTILITY, fl [ infertilitc , Fr. from infertile.'] Un- 
fruitfulnefs ; want of fertility.—The fame diitemperature 
of the air that occafioned the plague, occafioned the infer¬ 
tility or noxioufnefs of the foil, whereby the fruits of the 
earth became either very lmall, or very unwliolefome. 
Hale’s Origin of Mankind. 
To INFEST', v. a. [ infejler , Fr. from infefio, Lat.] To 
liarafs ; to difturb ; to plague.—Envy, avarice, fuperfti- 
tion, love, with the like cares and paflions, infejl human 
life. Addifon. 
Unto my feeble breaft 
Come gently ; but not with that mighty rage 
Wherewith the martial troops thou do’lt infef, 
And hearts of greatelf heroes do’ft enrage. Spenfer. 
INFEST, adj. [ infejlus , Lat.] Hoftile: 
But with fierce fury and with force ihfefi 
Upon him ran. Spenfer. 
INFEST'ING, f The aft of harafting ; of frequent¬ 
ing with an ill defign. 
INFES'TIVE, adj. [from in, Lat. contraiy to, and fef- 
tus, feftive.] Unpleafant, gloomy, mournful. Cole. 
INFESTIVTTYj /. Mournfulnefs; want of cheerful- 
nefs. 
INFES'TRED, adj. Rankling ; inveterate. Obfolete : 
This curfed creature, mindful of that old 
lnfefied grudge, the which his mother felt. 
So foon as Clarion he did behold, 
His heart with vengeful malice inly fwelt. Spenfer. 
INFEUDA'TION, f. [z»and feudum, Lat.] The aft of 
putting one in pofleflion of a fee or eftate.—Another mi¬ 
litary provifton was conventional and by tenure, upon the 
infeudation of the tenant, and was ulually called knight's 
l'ervice. Hale. 
To INFIB'ULATE, v. a, [from fihulo, Lat. a clafp.] 
To button; to clafp. Bailey, 
INFIBULA'TION, J'. The aft of buttoning; the aft 
of clafping together. It was a Cuftom among the Ro¬ 
mans to infibulate their finging-boys, in order to preferve 
their voices ; for this operation, which prevented their re¬ 
training the prepuce over the glans, and is the very reverfe 
to circumcifion, kept them from injuring their voices by 
premature and prepofterous venery ; ferving as a kind of 
f iadlock, if not to their inclinations, at leaft to their abi- 
ities. The method of doing it is thus : The fkin which 
is above the glans is to be extended, and then perforated 
with a needle and waxed thread ; tie the thread together; 
taking care to move it every day, until the parts about 
the perforation are cicatrifed ; this being effefted, take 
out the thread, and put in the fibula, which was probably 
9. fmall metal ring like an ear-ring. 
li 
inf S3 
INFIC'IAL, adj. [from in, Lat. contrary to, and facia . 
to do.] Belonging to denial. Not ujed. Cole. 
■ If. J C ' I A T E , v.a. To deny ; to difavow. Bailey . 
INI ICIA'TION, f. Denial. 
INIT CIATORY, adj. Belonging to denial. 
IN FIDEL, /. fiddle, Fr. wf delis, Lat.] An unbe- 
vei ; a pagan ; one who rejefts Chriftianity.—Exhort- 
mg her, if (he did marry, yet not to join herfelf to an in - 
fatl, as in thofe times lonre widows chriftian had done, 
for the advancement of their eftate in this world. Hooker. 
IN FIDEL, adj. Void of faith ; unbelieving. 
INFIDEL'! TY, [infidelite, Fr. infdchtas, Lat.] Want 
i-'c- 15 . confideration of• the divine omnipotence 
and infinite wifdom, and our own ignorance, are great in- 
fuuments. of filencing the murmurs of infidelity. Taylor’s 
Rule of Living. —Difbelief of Chriftianity.—One would 
fancy that infidels would be exempt from that fingle fault, 
which feems to grow out of the imprudent fervours of re- 
hgion ; but fo it is, that infidelity is propagated with as 
much hercenefs and contention, as if the fafety of man¬ 
kind depended upon it. Spectator. —Treachery ; deceit 5 
breach of contract or truft.—The infidelities on the one part 
between the two lexes, and the caprices on the other, the 
vanities and vexations attending even the moft refined de¬ 
lights that make up this bufinefs of life, render it filly 
and uncomfortable. Spectator. 
, .INFID'IOUS,. adj. [from in, Lat. contrary to, and fidus y 
faithful.] Falfe, unfaithful. Bailey. 
INFIER'NO, one of the fmaller Canary iflands, between. 
Lancerotta and St. Clara. 
INFIES TO, a town of Spain, in the province of A1-* 
tunas : twenty miles eaft of Oviedo. 
IN'FIMOUS, adj. [Latin.] Loweft, meaneft. Cole. 
IN'FINITE, adj. \infini, Fr. infinitus, Lat.] Unbound¬ 
ed; boundlefs ; unlimited; immenfe; having no bounda¬ 
ries or limits to its nature.—Impoflible it is, that God 
ftiould withdraw his prefence from any thing, becaufe the 
very fubftance of God is infinite. Hooker. 
What’s time, when on eternity we think ? 
A. thoufand ages in that fea may fink. 
Time’s nothing but a word ! a million 
Is full as far from infinite as one. Denham. 
It is hyperbolically ufed for large ; great. 
IN'FINITE,/ [from the adjeftive.] Unbounded reach. 
—It is paft the infinite of thought. Shakefpeare. 
IN'FINITELY, adv. Without limits ; without bounds; 
immenfely.—Nothing may be infinitely defired, but that 
good which indeed is infinite. Hooker .—In a great degree. 
—The king faw that contrariwife it would follow, °that 
England, though much lefs in territory, yet fhould have 
infinitely more foldiers of their native forces than other na¬ 
tions have. Bacon. 
IN'FINITENESS,/. Immenfity ; boundlefsnefs; infi¬ 
nity.—Let us always bear about us fuch impreftions of 
reverence, and fear of God, that we may humble ourfelves 
before his Admightinefs, and exprefs that infinite diftance 
between his infinitenefs and our weakriefles. Taylor. 
INFINITES'IMAL, adj. [from infinite ,] Infinitely di¬ 
vided.—Neither the motions of animal fpirits, nor the vi¬ 
brations of elaftic chords, or of elaftic ether, or of the in- 
finitefimal particles of the nerves, can be fuppofed to re- 
iemble the objefts by which they are excited. Reid. 
INFINITES'IMAL, f An exceedingly fmall quantity $. 
a fluxion. 
Infinitesimals, among mathematicians, are defined 
to be infinitely or indefinitely fmall parts ; as alfo the me¬ 
thod of computing by them. 
In the method of infinitefimals, the element by which, 
any quantity increafes or decreafes is fuppofed to be in¬ 
finitely final), and is generally exprefled by two or more 
terms, fome of which are infinitely lefs than the reft, which 
being neglefted as of no importance, the remaining terms 
form what is called the difference of the propoled quantity. 
The terms that are neglefted in this manner, as infinitely 
a * lefs 
