1. trans. To take or press to one’s bosom; to cherish in one’s bosom; to embrace. † Also, to implant, plunge (a sting, weapon, etc.) in (another’s) bosom (obs.). Chiefly fig. rare in mod. use.
α. 1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ii. 25. The handmayd … glad t’ embosome his affection vile.
1610. G. Fletcher, Christ’s Vict., in Farr, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 67. Thus sought the dire enchauntresse in his minde Her guilefull bait to have embosomed.
c. 1630. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Wks. (1711), 36/2. Tithon’s Wife embosom’d by Him lies.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., vii. 9. Anger rests Embosom’d … in foolish brests.
1729. Savage, Wanderer, I. 380. Why embosom me a viper’s sting?
a. 1813. A. Wilson, Tears of Britain, Poet. Wks. 158. Shall … such a monster … By Britons be … embosomed?
1874. Pusey, Lent. Serm., 459. All the Father embosometh the Son.
β. 1631. Mabbe, Celestina, I. 6–7. Suffering them [Muleteers] … to imbosome them between their brests.
1671. Flavel, Fount. Life, ii. 4. They lay as it were imbosomed in one another.
1806. Moore, From High Priest of Apollo, ii. 40. Might he but pass the hours of shade Imbosomed by his Delphic maid.
2. transf. a. To enclose, conceal, shelter, in the ‘bosom.’ Often pass. to be enclosed, enveloped in, closely surrounded with (woods, foliage, mountains, etc.); poet., to be ‘wrapped’ in (slumber, happiness, beauty, etc.). † b. refl. Of a river: To pour itself into the bosom of a larger stream (obs.).
α. 1685. H. More, Para. Prophet., Pref. p. xiii. All sorts of people, learned and unlearned, may safely embosom themselves in her.
c. 1750. Shenstone, Elegies, vii. 44. My distant home Which oaks embosom.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 282. Embosom’d in the deep where Holland lies.
1773. Wilkes, Corr. (1805), IV. 158. The vilages are happily embosomed with trees.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 501. This state [New York] embosoms vast quantities of iron ore.
18[?]. Campbell, On Visiting Scene in Argylsh., i. The wind-shaken weeds that embosom the bower.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., iii. One of those spots in which Nature often embosoms her sweetest charms.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 279. Deep sleep embosometh their jaded limbs.
1876. Green, Short Hist., x. § 4. 798. What sepulchre embosoms the remains … of so much human excellence and glory?
1879. Chr. Rossetti, Seek & F., 24. The sky … overarching and embosoming not earth and sea only, but clouds and meteors, planets and stars.
β. 1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 837. The River Vecht … imbosomes it self into the same [the Issell].
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 597. By whom in bliss imbosom’d sat the Son.
1835. Willis, Pencillings (1836), II. lx. 167. We walked up an avenue to a large old villa, imbosomed in trees.
1839. Bailey, Festus (ed. 5), 378. Thy heart imbosomed in all beauteousness.
Hence Embosomed ppl. a., Embosoming vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1682), 205. Since their embosoming and reconcilement to the Church of Rome.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., X. (1626), 205.
| She, thoughtfull silent; gazing on his face, | |
| Flusht with imbosomd flames, and wept apace. |
1839. Bailey, Festus, xviii. (1848), 184. The long imbosomed braid.
1859. Farrar, J. Home (1874), 9. The hill with its tall spire and embosoming trees.
1873. Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap, 660. Bosses of shrubs, embosomings of flowers.
