[f. L. effūs- ppl. stem of effundĕre: see EFFUND.]
1. trans. To pour forth or out (a liquid); † to shed (blood); in pass. to be extravasated. Also refl.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 253. That moost precyous blode effused & shedde.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iv. 52. Maiden-blood thus rigorously effus’d Will cry for Vengeance.
1682. Disc. Addr. or Presentm. agst. Association, 7. The Cup out of which they were to effuse Wine … in Honour of the Gods … broke into pieces.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIX. 633. My pitying eye … effus’d a plenteous stream.
1759. Da Costa, in Phil. Trans., LI. 33. The marble finely powdered, and aqua fortis effused over it, the marble particles were nigh destroyed.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Obs., 174. A little blood was supposed to be effused upon the dura mater.
1835–6. Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 229/1. Lymph is effused from the wound in the vessel.
1859. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., II. 287. The same gentle shower … had been effusing itself all the morning.
2. transf. a. To pour out, shed, send forth (air, heat, light, odors, etc.).
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xx. (1495), 208. In somer kynde heete drawyth oute … and is effusyd … and departed and is lesse in the body wythin.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 3, ¶ 4. The sun, by shining too long, will effuse all its light.
1821. New Monthly Mag., I. 291. The scented pulvilio, which the untwisted hairs reproachfully effused.
1847. J. Wilson, Chr. North (1897), I. 259. From his disc … is effused now a gentle crimson light.
b. poet. nonce-uses of pa. pple. By Thomson, of the horse: Rushing unchecked (cf. L. effusis habenis and EFFUSED ppl. a.). By Cowper, of a crowd: Poured forth.
1727. Thomson, Summer, 509. The horse … o’er the field effus’d Darts on the gloomy flood.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., VIII. 632. From the horse effused the Greeks Left their capacious ambush.
3. fig. Also absol.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter ii. 1. 371. God must infuse, before we effuse.
1652. Benlowes, Theoph., I. xcv. 13. Good Words effus’d THOU dost me give.
c. 1750. Shenstone, Elegy, i. 22. ’Twas his fond heart effus’d the melting theme.
1813. H. & J. Smith, Rej. Addr., 58. Professions lavishly effused and parsimoniously verified.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., III. viii. (1849), 110. A palpable tranquillity had been effused abroad.
† 4. Phys. To throw off (a branch).
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, VII. 96. After that these Arteries haue effused forth these braunches to the palate … they rise vp into the Scull.
