[ad. L. adulterāt-us, pa. pple. of adulterā-re; see ADULTER v.
1. Defiled, or stained by adultery, either in origin or conduct; adulterous.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 142. I am possest with an adulterate blot, My bloud is mingled with the crime of lust. Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., IV. iii. 69. Th’adulterate Hastings.
1607. Topsell, Four-footed Beasts (1673), 129. And so enjoyed the Adulterate woman for his wife.
1651. W. G., trans. Cowel’s Instit., 27. Adulterate Issue.
1755. Smollett, Don Quix. (1803), I. 103. Not … held as a legitimate member, but some adulterate brood.
1857. H. Reed, Lect. Brit. Poets, viii. 272. The low tastes of a worthless and adulterate generation.
2. Of things: Spurious, counterfeit; of base origin, or corrupted by base intermixture.
1592. Daniell, Compl. Rosamond, 20. Th’ adulterate Beauty of a falsed Cheek, Vile stain to Honour and to Women eke.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1875), 69. Yt wolde be good that Chaucers proper woorkes were distinguyshed from the adulterat.
1622. Rawleigh’s Ghost, 237. Many false and adulterate miracles.
1634. Habington, in Shaks. Cent. Praise, 200. That adult’rate wine Which makes the zeale of Amsterdam divine.
1658. J. R., trans. Mouffet’s Theat. Insectes, 903. Not of good Honey indeed, but of base, adulterate, impure trash.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 57. Not only slight what they enjoin, But pay it in adulterate Coin.
1681. Hobbes, Rhetorick, I. xvi. 40. The Judge ought to discern between true and adulterate Justice.
a. 1703. Pomfret, Poet. Wks. (1787), 97.
| Adult’rate christs already rise, | |
| And dare t’asswage the angry skies. |
1721. Aubrey, Misc., 222. The rest [women] are adulterate in face, but much more in Behaviour.
1724. Swift, Drapier Lett., 3, Wks. 1761, III. 57. Let England be satisfied—and keep their adulterate copper at home.
1833[?]. H. Coleridge, Poems, II. 387. Purge the silver ore adulterate.
1867. Swinburne, Ess. & Stud., 165. If he has not himself burnt a pinch or two of adulterate incense.
