Dictionary
1ingrain
verb in·grain \(ˌ)in-ˈgrān\
Definition of INGRAIN
transitive verb
: to work indelibly into the natural texture or mental or moral constitution
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Variants of INGRAIN
in·grain also en·grain \(ˌ)in-ˈgrān\
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First Known Use of INGRAIN
circa 1641
Related to INGRAIN
Synonym Discussion of INGRAIN
infuse, suffuse, imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven mean to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout. infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance <new members infused enthusiasm into the club>. suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality <a room suffused with light>. imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being <imbue students with intellectual curiosity>. ingrain , used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait <clung to ingrained habits>. inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety <an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas>. leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality <a serious play leavened with comic moments>.
Rhymes with INGRAIN
abstain, again, air lane, airplane, amain, arcane, arraign, attain, Bahrain, Bassein, Beltane, biplane, birdbrain, block plane, bloodstain, boat train, brain drain, bugbane, campaign, champagne, champaign, Champlain, checkrein, chicane, chilblain, choke chain, chow mein, cinquain, cocaine, Cockaigne, Coltrane, coxswain, complain, constrain, contain, cordwain, cowbane, crackbrain, demesne, deplane, destain, detain, detrain, devein, disdain, distain, distrain, dogbane, domain, drivetrain, dumb cane, edge-grain, Elaine, enchain, enplane, entrain, ethane, explain, eyestrain, fast lane, fleabane, floatplane, floodplain, food chain, forebrain, Fort Wayne, Gawain, germane, Great Dane, grosgrain, half plane, henbane, hindbrain, house-train, humane, Hussein, Igraine, immane, inane, insane, jack plane, lamebrain, left brain, lightplane, lo mein, long-chain, Lorraine, maintain, marchpane, membrane, methane, midbrain, migraine, Montaigne, montane, moraine, mortmain, Moulmein, mundane, neck-rein, New Spain, obtain, octane, ordain, pertain, plain-Jane, profane, propane, ptomaine, purslane, quatrain, raise Cain, refrain, remain, restrain, retain, retrain, right brain, romaine, sailplane, sea-lane, seaplane, seatrain, split-brain, sustain, tailplane, tearstain, terrane, Touraine, towplane, triplane, Ukraine, unchain, urbane, vervain, vicereine, villein, volplane, warplane, wave train, wolfsbane
2ingrain
adjective in·grain \ˈin-ˌgrān\
Definition of INGRAIN
1
a : made of fiber that is dyed before being spun into yarn b : made of yarn that is dyed before being woven or knitted
2
: thoroughly worked in : innate
First Known Use of INGRAIN
1766
Related to INGRAIN
- Synonyms
- built-in, constitutional, constitutive, essential, hardwired, immanent, inborn, inbred, indigenous, inherent, ingrained (also engrained), innate, integral, intrinsic, native, natural
- Antonyms
- adventitious, extraneous, extrinsic
3ingrain
noun in·grain \ˈin-ˌgrān\
Definition of INGRAIN
: innate quality or character
First Known Use of INGRAIN
1899
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