[ad. L. ēmānātiōn-em, f. ēmānāre: see EMANATE v.]
I. 1. The process of flowing forth, issuing, or proceeding from anything as a source. lit. and fig. Often applied to the origination of created beings from God; chiefly with reference to the theories that regard either the universe as a whole, or the spiritual part of it, as deriving its existence from the essence of God, and not from an act of creation out of nothing. Also, in Theology, used to denote the ‘generation’ of the Son, and the ‘procession’ of the Holy Ghost, as distinguished from the origination of merely created beings.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref., b j. It concerneth all Creatures … by Emanation of beames perfourmed.
1647. H. More, Poems, 279. Mans soul’s not by Creation…. Wherefore let ’t be by emanation.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., iv. 92. Those elicit motions … which … have their first emanation from nothing else but the soul itself.
1659. Pearson, Creed, 315–6. Jesus Christ … by the right of emanation of all things from him, he hath an absolute, supreme, and universall Dominion over all things, as God.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., ii. (1700), 43. Why the Emanation of the Son, and not that of the H. Ghost likewise is called begetting.
1721–1800. Bailey, Emanation (with Divines) is used to express the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son.
1880. S. Lane-Poole, in Macm. Mag., No. 246. 497/2. Its pantheistic doctrine of emanation and remanation.
b. The action of emitting, evolving, producing. Cf. EMANATE v. 4.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., II. 203. The Dread Sire, on emanation bent … Call’d forth creation.
1822. Imison, Sc. & Art, I. 431. The sun was long considered, from its constant emanation of heat … [a] globe of fire.
† c. Logical development from premises; inference. Cf. 3 b. Obs.
1628. T. Spencer, Logick, 199. This truth is necessary by emanation, and consecution.
II. concr. That which emanates; an efflux.
2. Something emitted or radiated by a material object; esp. applied to impalpable things, as light, a magnetic or electric effluvium, an odor, etc.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. v. 86. If amulets doe worke by Aporrhoias, or emanations from their bodies.
1692. Norris, Curs. Refl., 24. Corporeal Emanations from sensible Objects.
1763. Nat. Hist., in Ann. Reg., 70/2. Emanations of Vesuvius, especially the Lava.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., I. 191. The powerful emanations of the loadstone.
1836. Macgillivray, trans. Humboldt’s Trav., v. 74. Gaseous emanations occasionally escape in places considerably remote from unextinguished volcanoes.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat, § 174. This heating emanation … we term radiant heat.
b. spec. A beam, flash, ray of light.
1699. Garth, Dispens., I. (1700), 3. Dart in emanations through the eyes.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, I. ix. (1840), 106. Over him … a bright emanation shone.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., II. ii. § 11 (1864), 245. White emanations occurring on the retina together.
3. transf. and fig. Applied to immaterial things, moral and spiritual powers, virtues, qualities, emanating from or emitted by a source.
1577. Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 58. The Emanations from God, to, and into his Creatures … are established.
1656. H. More, Antid. Ath. (1712), Pref. 1. The easie Emanations of mine own Mind.
a. 1699. Temple, Ess. Poetry, Wks. 1731, I. 234. So is Prophecy the greatest Emanation of Divine Spirit in the World.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 25. From this all legal rights are emanations.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., iii. (1867), 56. Virtue and happiness are emanations of the divine blessedness and purity.
b. A necessary consequence or result.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 74, ¶ 1. The Emanation or Consequence of good and evil Actions.
1861. Mill, Utilit., v. 92. A direct emanation from the first principle of morals.
4. A person or thing produced by emanation from the Divine Essence.
1650. R. Gell, Serm., 12. She is the emanation of the power of God.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, v. 71. The whole Sephiroth, or divine Emanations.
1777. Priestley, Matt. & Spir. (1782), I. vi. 71. Christ was … considered … a peculiar emanation of the divine essence.
1826. Good, Bk. Nat. (1834), I. 11. According to this hypothesis, the universe is an emanation … of the essence of the Creator.
1875. Maine, Hist. Inst., ii. 51. The first teacher … was a direct emanation from God.
