[ad. L. adulterātiōn-em, n. of action, f. adulterā-re: see ADULTER v.]
1. The action of adulterating; corruption or debasement by spurious admixture.
1506. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de Worde), Prol. 4. Folowe the pathes and the wayes of theyr adulteracyon.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xlvi. (1632), 150. The most obscure houses are most apt unto adulteration, and falsification.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, VIII. § 798. To make the compound pass for the rich metal simple is an adulteration or counterfeit.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., We have laws against the Adulteration of coffee, tea, tobacco, etc.
1823. Byron, Don Juan, XII. lxiii. Merely innocent flirtation, Not quite adultery, but adulteration.
1859. Mill, Liberty, 171. Public control is admissible for the prevention of fraud by adulteration.
1864. Weekly Desp., 14 Aug. Even chicory, we find, does not escape adulteration.
2. The result of adulterating; an adulterated condition, product or substance.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. 154. Though there be much Adulteration therein, yet I conceive the main Bulk and Body thereof uncorrupted.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 35. Free from the mixture of political adulterations.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., 164. Indians, who are free from adulteration by their far-distance from foreigners.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, vii. 87. We actually adulterate our adulterations.
