PIE word
*h₁én
The verb is derived from Late Middle English embossen, embosen, embocen (“to be bloated; to bulge; to cause to bulge; to ornament in relief, emboss”) [and other forms], from Old French embocer (modern French embosser), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boce (“swelling”) + -er (suffix forming verbs); boce (“swelling”) is derived from Vulgar Latin *bottia (“a bump”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *bautan (“to beat”), from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to beat; to bump, knock; to push”). The English word is analysable as em- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + boss (“bump, lump, protuberance”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Meanings
(obsolete, rare, transitive) Synonym of boss (“a knob or projection”).
In this [the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City] is a fountaine out of which gushes a river rather than a streeme, which ascending a good height breakes upon a round embosse of marble into millions of pearles that fall into the subjacent basons with greate noise; I esteem this one of the goodliest fountaines I ever saw. 1644 November 26 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 17 November 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, pages 107–108:
PIE word
*h₁én
The verb is derived from Late Middle English embossen, embosen, embocen (“to be bloated; to bulge; to cause to bulge; to ornament in relief, emboss”) [and other forms], from Old French embocer (modern French embosser), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boce (“swelling”) + -er (suffix forming verbs); boce (“swelling”) is derived from Vulgar Latin *bottia (“a bump”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *bautan (“to beat”), from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to beat; to bump, knock; to push”). The English word is analysable as em- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + boss (“bump, lump, protuberance”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Meanings
(transitive) To cause (something) to stick out or swell; to extrude; also, to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings.
VVhen God, vvhoſe vvords more in a moment can, / Then in an Age the proudeſt ſtrength of Man, / Had ſeuered the Floods, leuell'd the Fields, / Embas't the Valleys, and emboſt the Hils; […] 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First Week, or Birth of the World: […].] The Third Daie of the First Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 73:
His Cattel muſt of Rot and Murren die, / Botches and blaines muſt all his fleſh imboſs, / And all his people; […] 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1070–1071:
An oak grew near, and with its ample boughs / O'ercanopied the spring; its fretted roots / Emboss'd the bank, and on their tufted bark / Grew plants which love the moisture and the shade. 1814, Robert Southey, “Canto XXI”, in Roderick the Last of the Goths, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co. […], →OCLC, page 256:
(transitive) To make (a design on a coin, an ornament on an object, etc.) stand out from a surface.
[T]he profusion of her sable tresses, which, each arranged in its own spiral of twisted curls, fell down upon as much of a snow-white neck and bosom as a simarre of the richest Persian silk, exhibiting flowers in their natural colours embossed upon a purple ground, permitted to be visible—all these constituted a combination of loveliness, which yielded not to the loveliest of the maidens who surrounded her. 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter VIII, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, pages 146–147:
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. 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:
[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. 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: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for M[athew] Lownes; I[ohn] Browne; I[ohn] Helme; I[ohn] Busbie, →OCLC, page 75:
The house opposite my lodging had been formerly a Palace of the King's, the outside was totaly cover'd with fleurs de lyes, emboss'd out of yᵉ stone. 1644 May 17 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 8 May 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, page 62:
I was most struck with a picture, by Fabriana Gentile [i.e., Gentile da Fabriano], of the Adoration of the Magi, […] all the magnificence of the three kings, are represented with the vividness of the real thing: a gold sword hilt, for instance, or a pair of gold spurs, being actually embossed on the picture. 1858 June 17 (date written), Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Florence—Continued”, in Passages from the French and Italian Note-books of Nathaniel Hawthorne, volume II, London: Strahan & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC, pages 44–45:
(transitive) To represent (a subject) on an object in relief; also, of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief.
To the Cumæan Coaſt at length he came; / And, here alighting, built this coſtly Frame. / Inſcrib'd to Phœbus, here he hung on high / The ſteerage of his VVings, that cut the Sky: / Then o're the lofty Gate his Art emboſs'd / Androgeos Death, and Off'rings to his Ghoſt. 1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, pages 362–363, lines 21–26:
[R]ich embroideries by rare Art emboſt: […] 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His Second Weeke, […]. Adam. […].] The Handi-crafts. The IIII. Part of the I. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 279:
Most of its [the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba's] ancient glories have indeed long since departed. The rich bronze which embossed its gates, the myriads of lamps which illuminated its aisles, have disappeared; […] 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, “Review of the Political and Intellectual Condition of the Spanish Arabs previous to the War of Granada”, in History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: American Stationers’ Company; John B. Russell, →OCLC, 1st part (1406–1492), page 279:
(transitive) To decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief.
A ſquare and lofty obeliſk of braſs; the ſides vvere emboſſed vvith a variety of pictureſque and rural ſcenes: […] 1788, Edward Gibbon, chapter LIX, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume VI, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, page 171:
Oldfashioned merchants complained bitterly that a class of men who, thirty years before, had confined themselves to their proper functions, and had made a fair profit by embossing silver bowls and chargers, by setting jewels for fine ladies, and by selling pistoles and dollars to gentlemen setting out for the Continent, had become the treasurers, and were fast becoming the masters, of the whole City. 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume IV, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 490:
The veſt much envy'd on your native coaſt, / And regal robe vvith figur'd gold emboſt, / In happier hours my artful hand employ'd, / VVhen my lov'd Lord this bliſsful bovv'r enjoy'd: […] 1726, Homer, “Book XIX”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume IV, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 219, lines 292–295:
The title was embossed in gold lettering on the cover.
[T]he ſaid victorie of Pompeius vvhich he atchieved over K[ing] Mithridates, ſet mens teeth at Rome a vvatering after pearls and pretious ſtones; like as the conqueſts obtained by L. Scipio and Cn. Manlius, brought them into love vvith ſilver plate curiouſly enchaſed and emboſſed: […] 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXXVII.] Of the Rich Precious Stones of Polycrates the Tyrant, and King Pyrrhus. The First Lappidaries or Cutters in Precious Stones. And who was the First that had a Case of Rings and Gems in Rome.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 602:
The papers weren’t official until the seal had been embossed on them.
(transitive) To decorate (something) with bosses (“ornamental convex protuberances”); to boss; hence, to decorate (something) richly.
We, Greville, are happy in these parks and forests: we were happy in my close winter-walk of box and laurustinus and mezereon. In our earlier days did we not emboss our bosoms with the crocusses, and shake them almost unto shedding with our transports! 1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation II. Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, pages 18–19:
I wonne her with a gyrdle of gelt, / Emboſt with buegle about the belt. 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 4, verso:
And bloated ſpider, till the pamper'd peſt / Is made familiar, vvatches his approach, / Comes at his call and ſerves him for a friend— / To vvear out time in numb'ring to and fro / The ſtuds that thick emboſs his iron door, […] 1785, William Cowper, “Book V. The Winter Morning Walk.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 203:
I fed on ſcarlet hips and ſtoney havvs, / Or bluſhing crabs, or berries that imboſs / The bramble, black as jet, or ſloes auſtere. 1785, William Cowper, “Book I. The Sofa.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 7:
(figuratively, transitive) To cause (something) to be prominent or stand out.
[Luke] Shaw's goal embossed his latest man-of-the-match performance and it came in front of Gareth Southgate, although the England manager has surely decided already to recall him for the internationals at the end of the month. 2021 March 7, David Hytner, “Manchester United catch City cold as Fernandes and Shaw end winning run”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Apr 2023:
[T]he triumph of general fraternity vvas but the most ſignalized by the total vvant of particular claims in that caſe; and by poſtponing all ſuch claims, in a caſe vvhere they really exiſted, vvhere they ſtood emboſſed, and in a manner forced themſelves on the vievv of common ſhort-ſighted benevolence. 1797, Edmund Burke, “Letter III.”, in A Third Letter to a Member of the Present Parliament, on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France, London: […] F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […]; sold also by J[ohn] Hatchard, […], →OCLC, page 21:
(figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To make (speech, etc.) unduly bombastic or grand.
All this diſſention and ſtrife was kindled (no doubt) by the meanes of certeine ſowers of diſcord, ſycophants, paraſits, flatterers, clawbacks, & pickeſhanks, […] thinking by their emboſſed ſpeech to tickle the eares and harts of the yoong princes, […] 1587 January, Raphael Holinshed, “Henrie the Second, the Second Sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet”, in The Third Volume of Chronicles, Beginning at Duke William the Norman, Commonlie Called the Conqueror; […], 2nd edition, volume III, London: […] [Henry Denham] […] at the expenses of Iohn Harison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham, and Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, page 94, column 2:
bg изтъквам (to cause (something) to be prominent or stand out) · fi martioida (to make (a design on a coin, etc.) stand out from a surface) · fi paisuttaa (to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings) · fi koristella (to decorate (something) richly) · it coniare (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · uk витискати (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fr estamper (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fi kohokuvioida (to represent (a subject) on an object in relief; of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief) · ru вы́бить (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · tl buralin (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mk грави́ра (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · ja 彫り上げる (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fi kohokuvioida (to decorate (something) with bosses) · fi martioida (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · cmn 拷花 (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · cs vytlačit (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · ca gofrar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fr gaufrer (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mi rākei (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fi kohokuvioida (to make (a design on a coin, etc.) stand out from a surface) · ru чека́нить (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · cs vyrazit (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · bg гравирам (to represent (a subject) on an object in relief; of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief) · fi korostaa (to cause (something) to be prominent or stand out) · es relevar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fi kohokuvioida (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · cs embosovat (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mk се и́стакне (to cause (something) to be prominent or stand out) · fi martioida (to decorate (something) with bosses) · fi martioida (to represent (a subject) on an object in relief; of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief) · bg украся (to decorate (something) richly) · ru выбива́ть (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · es realzar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mk у́краси (to decorate (something) richly) · mk о́тече (to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings) · ru тисни́ть (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · bg изтъкна (to cause (something) to be prominent or stand out) · ru отчека́нить (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · fr bosseler (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · es relievar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · es abollonar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · bg украсявам с релеф (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · uk ембосувати (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mk ко́ве (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · tl buralan (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mk у́краси со ре́лјеф (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · es repujar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · es abollar (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · bg украсявам (to decorate (something) richly) · de prägen (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · uk вибивати (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · mi rākai (to decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief) · bg щамповам (to make (a design on a coin, etc.) stand out from a surface) · mk на́бабри (to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings)
From Middle English embosen, embose, enbose (“of game: to become exhausted from hunting”), possibly from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + Old French bos, bois (“woodland, woods”) (modern French bois) (from Late Latin boscus, Medieval Latin boscus (“woodlands, woods”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *busk (“bush, thicket”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, thicket”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear; to be; to become; to grow”)). Doublet of imbosk (“to conceal or hide (not necessarily in a forest or wood)”).
Etymology 2 sense 2 (“to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth”) is probably influenced by emboss (“to decorate (something) with bosses”; etymology 1, verb sense 5), likening the flecks of foam to decorative bosses.
Meanings
(intransitive, obsolete, transitive) Of a hunted animal: to take shelter in a forest or wood.
So vertue giv'n for loſt, / Depreſt, and overthrovvn, as ſeem'd, / Like that ſelf-begott'n bird / In the Arabian woods emboſt, […] 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 98, lines 698–701:
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. a. 1681 (date written), 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:
(broadly, obsolete, qualifier:chiefly passive voice, transitive) To drive (a hunted animal) to exhaustion by chasing it; to exhaust; hence, to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth due to exhaustion from being chased.
[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. 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:
And if hee [a hart] ſhould runne into any of thoſe two windes, it would quickly enter his throate when he is emboſt and beginneth to be ſpent, & would drie his throat & his tong ſore, and woud altarand chafe him much with the vehement heat thereof. 1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Certaine Observations and Subtleties to be Used by Huntsmen in Hunting an Hart at Force”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 118:
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. 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:
VVas ever Lion thus by Dogs emboſs'd? 1679 (first performance), Thomas Otway, The History and Fall of Caius Marius. A Tragedy. […], London: […] R. Bentley […], published 1696, →OCLC, Act IV, scene [ii], page 45:
And as it commonly happneth, that when the Stagge begins to be emboſt, and findes his ſtrength to faile-him, having no other remedie left him, doth yeelde and bequeath himſelfe vnto vs that purſue him, with tears ſuing to vs for mercie[…]. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Crueltie”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, pages 249–250:
Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres, / Ensowkid with sylt of the myry mose, / Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres, / Ran on the raunge so longe, […] 1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 410, lines 22–25:
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. 1605, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Matilda”, in Poems: […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, […], published 1613, →OCLC, signature Gg2, verso:
In her right hand a firebrand ſhee did toſſe / About her head, ſtill roming here and there; / As a diſmayed Deare in chace emboſt, / Forgetfull of his ſafety, hath his right vvay loſt. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 17, page 581:
(archaic, broadly, from etymology 2 sense 2, transitive) To cause (an animal's body, a person's mouth, etc.) to be covered with foam.
For, jaded now, and spent with toil, / Embossed with foam, and dark with soil, / While every gasp with sobs he drew, / The labouring stag strained full in view. 1810, Walter Scott, “Canto I. The Chase.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza VII, page 10:
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. 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:
(broadly, from etymology 2 sense 2, obsolete, transitive) To cause (someone, their heart or soul, etc.) to become extremely fatigued; to exhaust.
[W]e haue almoſt imboſt him, you ſhall ſee his fall to night; for indeede he is not for your Lordſhippes reſpect. 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:
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; […] 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:
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. 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:
(broadly, from etymology 2 sense 2, intransitive, obsolete, transitive) Of a person: to foam at the mouth; also (figurative), to be furious, to rage.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
imboss
alternative
lexicographic
embossed
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
embossed
Tense=Past
lexicographic
embossing
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
embosses
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
Translations (2)
fi saada vaahtoamaan (to cause (an animal’s body, a person’s mouth, etc.) to be covered with foam) · mk се пе́ни (to cause (an animal’s body, a person’s mouth, etc.) to be covered with foam)
Possibly:
* from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boss (“(small) cask; leather bottle for holding wine”) (Scotland, obsolete); or
* borrowed from Spanish embozarse, from embozar (“to cloak, hide; to turn up; to wrap up”) + se (“oneself; yourself; himself; herself; etc.”). Embozar is derived from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + bozo (“mouth; muzzle; halter for horses”) (from Medieval Latin *buccēus (“belonging or relating to the mouth”), from Latin bucca (“mouth”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Germanic *puhô (“bag, pouch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew-, *bʰew- (“to blow; to inflate, swell”)) + -ar (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs).
The word was possibly coined by the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552 or 1553 – 1599) in his work The Faerie Queene (1590–1596): see the quotations.
Meanings
(obsolete, transitive) To enclose or suit (a person) in armour.
A knight her mett in mighty armes emboſt, […] 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 24, page 39:
(figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To enclose or surround (someone or something).
None of them raſhly durſt to her approch, / Ne in ſo glorious ſpoile themſelues emboſſe, / Her ſuccourd eke the Champion of the bloody Croſſe. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 64, page 409:
A Merchants gaine is great that goes to Sea, / A Souldier emboſſed all in gold: / A Flatterer lies fox'd in braue array, / A Scholler only ragged to behold. 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Loue of Learning, or Overmuch Study. With a Digression of the Misery of Schollers, and why the Muses are Melancholy.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 15, page 155:
And there all night himſelfe in anguiſh toſt, / Vovving, that neuer he in bed againe / His limbes vvould reſt, ne lig in eaſe emboſt, / Till that his Ladies ſight he more attaine, / Or vnderſtand, that ſhe in ſafetie did remaine. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 40, page 410:
The knight his thrillant ſpeare again aſſayd / In his bras-plated body to emboſſe, […] 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 19, page 160: