[as if a. L. *ējaculātiōn-em, f. as prec.: see -ATION.]
† 1. The action of hurling (missiles); the spouting out (of water); the throwing up (stones, etc. by subterranean forces). Obs.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, IV. xiv. (1660), 332. Man … furnished himself to the full … with Instruments of ejaculation.
1625. K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, II. xxii. 143. Ashes … carried many miles … with their own violent ejaculation.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 238. A sling … should be altogether for ejaculations.
1762. trans. Busching’s Syst. Geog., III. 61. When the ejaculation is strong and brisk, the petroleous wells are observed to become very turbid.
1818. Ann. Reg., Chron., 495. [He] spouted out of his mouth … several tuns of water…. This ejaculation was received with the highest applause.
2. The sudden ejection or emission (of seed, fluids, etc.) from the animal or vegetable system.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1301. The ejaculation or casting foorth of naturall seed.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. iv. 113. The vessels of ejaculations.
1677. Grew, Anat. Fruits, v. § 19 (1682), 188. That violent and surprising Ejaculation of the Seeds.
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., I. s.v. Bee, The Bees … are generated … by the Ejaculation of a little Crystalline Water into the Bottom of the small Cells in the Combs.
1807. Ann. Reg., 823. The ejaculation or darting of the [spider’s] threads is doubted.
1865. Reader, No. 151. 576/3. Ejaculation of aqueous fluid from leaves.
3. transf. and fig. a. The emission of rays (by a luminary), of occult or magical influence, etc. b. The putting up of short earnest prayers in moments of emergency; the hasty utterance of words expressing emotion.
1625. Bacon, Envy, Ess. (Arb.), 511. There seemeth to be acknowledged, in the Act of Enuy an Eiaculation … of the Eye.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 20. In the ejaculation of her prayers on her people.
a. 1657. Sir J. Balfour, Ann. Scotl. (1824–5), II. 73. The suns eiaculatione of his beames wpone the earthe, more then 6,900,000 myles.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., vii. (1878), 101. An ejaculation of love is not likely to offend Him.
4. concr. Also fig. a. gen.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais, IV. xviii. (1737), 77. Lightnings, fiery Vapours, and other aerial Ejaculations.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess. Poet, Wks. (Bohn), I. 168. The religions of the world are the ejaculations of a few imaginative men.
b. spec. A short prayer ‘darted up to God’ (Fuller) in an emergency. In wider sense: A short hasty emotional utterance.
1624. T. Gokins, Hallowed be Thy Name, in Farr’s S. P. (1847), 325. Thou takest recreation In … one eiaculation.
1656. Finett, For. Ambass., 237. I found by his ejaculations that they repented of their punctillios.
1684–5. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 382, III. 338. The other Bishops giving their assistance with very good ejaculations.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 24. He makes the lords and commons fall to a pious, legislative ejaculation.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 133. The usual chorus of screams and ejaculations of welcome.
