3S INF 
lefs than the other terms of the element, are the very fame 
which arife in confequence of the acceleration, or retard¬ 
ation, of the generating motion, during the infinitely- 
fmall time in which the element is generated ; fo that the 
remaining terms exprefs the element that would have been 
produced in that time, if the generating motion had con¬ 
tinued uniform. Therefore, thofe differences are accu¬ 
rately in the fame ratio to each other as the generating 
motions or fluxions. And hence, though in this method 
infinitefimal parts of the elements are neglefted, the con- 
cluiions are accurately true, without even an infinitely- 
Imall error, and agree precifely with thofe that are deduced 
by the method of fluxions. 
But, however fafe and convenient this method may be, 
Lome will always fcruple to admit infinitely-little quanti¬ 
ties, and infinite orders of infinitefimals, into a fcience 
that boafts of the molt evident and accurate principles, as 
well as of the moll rigid demonftrations. In order to 
avoid fuch fuppofitions, Newton confiders the fimulta- 
neous increments of the flowing quantities as finite, and 
then inveftigates the ratio which is the limit of the vari¬ 
ous proportions which thofe increments bear to each other, 
while he fuppofes them to decreafe together till they 
vanifh ; which ratio is the fame with the ratio of the 
fluxions. See the article Fluxions, vol. vii. p. 475. 
INFINITIVE, adj. \jnjinitif , Fr. infinitivus, Lat.] The 
name of one of the moods which ferve for the conjugating 
of verbs;—In grammar, the injinitive affirms or intimates the 
intention of affirming, which is one ufe of the indicative; 
but then it does not do it abfolutely. Clarke. 
INFINITUDE, / [from infinite.] Infinity; immenfity. 
•—Though the repugnancy of infinitude be equally incom¬ 
patible to continued or lucceflive motion, or continued 
quantity, and pends upon the incompoflibility of the very 
nature of things fucceffive or extenlive with infinitude ; 
yet that incompoflibility is more confpicuous in difcrete 
quantity, that arifeth from parts actually diftinguifhed. 
Hale. —Boundlefs number.—We lee all the good fenfe of 
the age cut out and minced into almoft an infinitude of 
diftinftions. Addifon. 
Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar 
Stood rul'd, flood vaft infinitude confin’d. Milton. 
INFIN'ITY, / [infinite, Fr. infinitas, Lat.] Immenfity; 
•boundlefTnefs ; unlimited qualities.—There cannot be 
more infinities than one; for one of them would limit the 
other. Raleigh —Endlefs number. An hyperbolical ufe of 
the word.—Homer has concealed faults under an infinity 
of admirable beauties. Broome. 
INFIR'M, adj. [ infirme , Fr. infirmus, Lat.] Weak; fee¬ 
ble ; difabled of body: 
Here Hand I your brave ; 
A poor infirm, weak, and defpis’d, old man. Shakefpe&re. 
Weak of mind ; irrefolute : 
That on my head all might be vifited. 
Thy frailty, and infirmer lex, forgiven. Milton. 
Not liable ; not folid.—He who fixes upon fa lie principles, 
treads upon infirm ground, and lb finks; and he who fails 
in his deductions from right principles, Humbles upon 
firm ground, and falls. South. 
To INFIR'M, v. a. [infirmer , Fr. infirmo, Lat.] To 
weaken : to ffiake ; to enfeeble. Not in ufe .— Some con¬ 
trary lpirits will object this as a fufficient reafon to infirm 
all thofe points Raleigh. 
INFIR'MARY, fi. [ infir merie, Fr.] Lodgings for the 
fick.—Thefe buildings to be for privy lodgings on both 
fides, and the end for privy galleries, whereof one ffiould 
be for an infirmary, if any fpecial perfon ffiould be fick. 
Jiacon. 
INFIR'MITY, / [infirmite, Fr.] Weaknefs of fex, age, 
or temper.—Are the infirmities of the body, pains, and 
./ifealcs, his complaints! his faith reminds him of the day 
I N F 
when this corruptible ffiall put on incorruption, and this 
mortal immortality. Rogers. 
Difcover thine infirmity, 
That warranteth by law to be thy privilege : 
I am with child, ye bloody homicides. Shakefpeart- 
Failing; weaknefs; fault.—How difficult is it to preferve 
a great name, when he that has acquired it is fo obnox¬ 
ious to fuch little weaknefles and infirmities as are no frnall 
diminution to it. Addifon. 
A friend fltould bear a friend’s infirmities-. 
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. Shakefip. 
Difeafe ; malady.—Sometimes the races of man may be 
depraved by the infirmities of birth. Temple. 
INFIRM'NESS, f. Weaknefs ; feeblenefs.—Someexpe- 
rirnents may difcover the infirmnefis and infufficiency of the 
peripatetic doftrine. Boyle. 
INFIS'TULATED, adj. Fiflulous, afflifted with a 
fiftula, Scott. 
To INFIX', v. a. \infixus, Lat.] To drive in ; to fet; 
to fatten : 
I never lov’d myfelf, 
’Till now, infixed, I behold myfelf. 
Drawn in the fiatt’ring table of her eye. Shakcfpeare. 
The fatal dart a ready paflage found, 
And deep within her heart infix'd the wound. Dryden. 
INFIX'ING, f. The aft of fixing deeply. 
TblNFLA'ME, v. a. [injlammo, Lat ] To kindle; to fet 
on fire ; to make to burn.—Love more clear, dedicated 
to a love more cold, with the clearnefs lays a night of 
forrow upon me, and with the coldnefs inflames a world 
of fire within me. Sidney. —To kindle any patfion.—Their 
lull was injlamed towards her. S;/z?2. viii.—To kindle with 
paifion : 
Satan, with thoughts inflam'd of higheft defign. 
Puts on fwift wings. Milton. 
To exaggerate; to aggravate.—A friend exaggerates a 
man’s virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes. Addifon. —To 
heat the body morbidly w ith obftrufted matter.—To pro¬ 
voke; to irritate.—A little vain curiolity weighs fo much 
with us, or the church’s peace fo little, that w'e facrifice 
the one to the whetting and inflaming of the other. Decay 
of Piety. 
To INFLA'ME, v. a. To grow hot, angry, and pain¬ 
ful, by obflrufted matter.—If the veficulte are oppreft, 
they inflame. Wifeman. 
INFLA'MER, f. The thing or perfon that inflames.— 
Intereft is a great infiamer, and lets a man on perfecution 
under the colour of zeal. Addifon. 
INFLA'MING, f. The aft of kindling, or enraging. 
INFLAMMABILITY, /. [from inflammable .] The 
quality of catching fire.—Choler is the molt inflammable 
part of the blood ; whence, from its inflammability, it is 
called a fulphur. Harvey. 
INFLAM'MABLE, adj. [French.] Eafy to be fet on 
flame ; having the quality of flaming.—Out of water grow 
all vegetable and animal fuftances, which confifl as well 
of lulphureous, fat, and inflammable, parts, as of earthy 
and alcalizate ones. Newton's Optics. — Inflammable Lpirits 
are fubtle volatile liquors, which come over in diftillation, 
mifcible with water, and wholly combuftible. Arbuthnot. 
INFLAM'MABLENESS,/ The quality ofeafily catch¬ 
ing fire.—We may treat of the inflammablenefs of bodies. 
Boyle. 
INFLAMMA'TION, / [ infiammatio , Lat. inflammation , 
Fr.] The aft of fetting on flame— Inflammation of air from 
meteors may have a powerful effeft upon men. Temple .— 
The flate of being in flame.—The flame extendeth not 
beyond the inflammable effluence, but clofely adheres unto 
the original of its inflammation. Brown .— In medicine and 
furgery, a rednels and fwelling of any part of the body, 
attended with heat, pain, and iymptoms of fever. See the 
article 
