Forms: 4–5 enbrace, 4–6 embrase, 4– embrace. Also 5–6 imbrase, 6–8 imbrace. [ad. OF. embrace-r (F. embrasser) = Pr. embrassar, It. imbracciare:—late L. *imbracchiāre, f. in- in + bracchium (pl. bracchia see BRACE sb.2) arm.]
1. trans. To clasp in the arms, usually as a sign of fondness or friendship.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 95. The frere … her embracith in his armes narwe.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, App. 81. This lady … him enbraced al in hire slepe.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 268. The lordis … Imbrasit thame that tyme full tenderly.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings iv. 16. About this tyme yf ye frute can lyue, thou shalt enbrace a sonne.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. i. 950/55.
| For what do Lovers, when th’ are fast | |
| In one another’s Arms imbrac’t. |
1845. Ford, Spain, § 1. 46. Many a Sancho … is there fondling and embracing his ass.
fig. c. 1386. Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 193. The riche folk that embraceden and oneden al hire herte to tresor of this world shul slepe in … deeth.
1635. A. Stafford, Fem. Glory (1869), 132. Worship their Messias, and imbrace Him in their hearts.
1698. Norris, Pract. Disc., IV. 216. Let us … Hug and Imbrace them [earthly things] never so dearly.
b. Of sexual embraces.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, IV. i. 50. You will say, she did imbrace me as a husband.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 168. On other days they [certain penitents] may eat any meat but flesh, and imbrace their own wedlock.
† c. As the typical mode of salutation between friends; to salute as a friend. Obs.
1707. Freind, Peterborow’s Cond. Sp., 174. I hope to embrace you in a few Days.
1747. Hoadly, Susp. Husb., I. iii. (1756), 12. Any … Friend of my Frankly’s I am proud of embracing.
d. absol. (Chiefly with reciprocal sense.)
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4820. Disordinat desiryng For to kissen & enbrace.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 407/3. Thenne eche kyssed other and enbraced straytelye.
1596. Warner, Alb. Eng., II. xvi. 76. When they had imbraced Then Archigallo … in Ebranks Towne was plac’d.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 636. Easier then Air with Air, if Spirits embrace, Total they mix.
1719. Young, Revenge, IV. i. Two lovers in each other’s arms, Embracing and embrac’d.
1855. Kingsley, Heroes, IV. (1868), 252. They loved each other, and embraced.
2. In various figurative uses.
† a. To compass, gain (an object of desire).
1475. Caxton, Jason, 20 b. A lady to sone abandonned and given ouer embraceth not grete honour.
14[?]. Legendary Poem, in Retrosp. Rev., Nov. (1853), 102. With … penaunce smerte They wene ther blys for to imbrase [printed unbrase].
† b. To worship (a deity). Obs. rare.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, viii. 37. Temples and aultres in whiche she sholde be enbraced and honowred as a goddesse.
† c. To accept (a person) as a friend; to welcome the services of (a person).
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. vii. 10. He beares himselfe more proudlier … then I thought he would When first I did embrace him.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Jas. V., Wks. (1711), 83. He wrought himself … to be imbraced as their Friend.
1607. Tourneur, Rev. Trag., B 4. Wert thou as secret as thou’rt subtil … I would embrace thee for a neere imployment.
1635. [cf. 1 a. fig.].
d. To accept gladly or eagerly; also, in weaker sense, to accept; now chiefly, to avail oneself of (an offer, opportunity, etc.).
c. 1399. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 12. Y hope of king Henries grace, That he it is which schal the pes embrace.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. ii. (1883), 11. The communes … imbracinge a licence, refuse to be brydled.
1582. Earl Essex, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 213, III. 80. I can not but embrace with duty your Lordships good counsell.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. i. 13. Embrace we then this opportunitie.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. viii. 32. The worke is ever to be embraced, as containing the first description of poysons, and their Antidotes.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., II. iv. (1854), 119. The general sent the prince word that he would embrace a parley.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 189. The captain, who thought himself a prisoner and undone, readily embraced this offer.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. iii. 107. One alternative: that of embracing the neutrality.
1839. W. Chambers, Tour Holland, 62/1. I will embrace the opportunity of making a few general remarks.
e. To accept, submit to (death, adverse fortune) with resignation or fortitude.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 126. Thurio giue backe; or else embrace thy death. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., V. v. 251. What cannot be eschew’d, must be embrac’d.
1672. Cave, Prim. Chr., I. x. 111. They readily embrace death.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 106. Even death it-self voluntarily imbrac’d.
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., vi. 137. Embracing with joy all its sufferings and privations.
† f. To take to one’s heart, cultivate (a virtue, disposition, etc.). Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 143. He shulde of trouthe thilke grace With all his hole herte embrace.
1576. in Farr, S. P. Eliz. (1845), II. 291. Of Christes flock let loue be so embraste.
1623. Sir J. Stradling, in Farr, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 232. What good peace (if we it imbrace) will doe vs.
g. To adopt (a course of action, profession or calling, mode of life). Formerly also, to take (a road or course in travelling).
1639. Fuller, Holy War, I. xv. (1647), 22. They embraced severall courses through sundry countreys. Ibid. (1655), Ch. Hist. VIII. 13. Captain Vaughan … embraced the right-hand way towards Westminster.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, I. i. Being compelled … to embrace a life you disliked.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xv. What fiend possessed you to … embrace the trade of a damsel adventurous.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xvii. 89. The … home of those … who embraced the monastic life.
h. To adopt (a doctrine, opinions, religion, etc.); often with the notion ‘to accept joyfully.’ Also, to attach oneself to (a party, cause, etc.).
1545. Brinklow, Lament. (1874), 120. Repent and beleue the Gospell in embrasynge the same.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 41. Foure of the greatest Ilandes embrased the Christian faith.
1646. E. F[isher], Mod. Divinity, 71. This opinion was … generally imbraced amongst them.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 269. By embracing Christ and his Doctrine, the believing Jews did not turn to a new Religion.
1720. Ozell, Vertot’s Rom. Rep., II. XIV. 334. Cæsar gave him the choice either to embrace his Party, or to continue his March.
1743. J. Morris, Sermons, viii. 214. So may they … heartily imbrace the truth.
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., I. 75. The two princes embraced … different parties.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., iii. (1880), 38. Palissy was not the only man of genius in France who embraced the Reformed faith.
† i. To take (a matter) in hand: to undertake.
1393. Gower, Conf., Prol. 90. So wol I now this werke embrace.
1552. Huloet, Embrace anothers accion or title, Litem propriam vel suam facere.
1597. Bacon, Ess. Sutes (Arb.), 40. Some embrace Sutes, which neuer meane to deale effectually in them.
1670–1. Marvell, Corr., 183, Wks. (1872–5), II. 374. The Duke … had embraced this matter.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. vi. 559. When the wisdom of parliament embraced the subject of the government of India.
3. To entwine, encircle, surround; to clasp, enclose. lit. and fig.
c. 1360. Song of Mercy, in E. E. P. (1862), 122. Wormes blake wol vs enbrace.
14[?]. Purif. Marie (Tundale’s Vis., 130). The passyng joy that can hys hart enbrace.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (1835), 44 b. Here that is of grace the welle Of hyr wombe sche [the mother of the Virgin Mary] dede enbrace.
1535. Coverdale, Song Sol. ii. 6. His right hande embraceth me.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. ii. 7. You’l see your Rome embrac’d with fire.
1704. Addison, Italy (1733), 40. The whole Town redoubled Walls embrace.
1796. Withering, Arrangem. Brit. Pl., III. 56. Leaves arrow-shaped at the base, embracing the stem.
1802. Playfair, Illustr. Hutton. The., 298. It is on both sides firmly embraced by the whinstone.
1884. Times, 26 Aug., 8/1. The woods, embracing lawns and sloping corn fields, come feathering down to the edge of the water.
† b. Of an event: ? To lay hold upon, touch (the heart). Obs. rare.
c. 1430. Lydgate, Bochas’ Falles of Princes, II. xxvi. (1554), 62. This auenture … The heart of Cyrus gan somewhat enbrace And caused him for to be piteous Ageine Cresus.
† c. intr. To wrap, circle about. Obs.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. xlix. 388. The blacke Iuie groweth … vppon trees and hedges, about the whiche it embraceth.
4. Of things: To include, contain, comprise. So of persons: To include or comprise in.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 59/73.
| Not that my song, in such a scanty space, | |
| So large a Subject fully can embrace. |
1825. W. Cobbett, Rur. Rides, 408. Thus the two classes embrace all legitimate merchants.
1846. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., II. xix. 181. The other productions of this indefatigable scholar embrace a large circle of topics.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 4. 33. The time occupied … embraced about five whole days.
1885. F. Temple, Relat. Relig. & Sci., vii. 196. Some of them [these events] are substantive facts embraced in the message delivered.
Mod. It is impossible to embrace all the cases in a single formula.
5. To take in with the eye or the mind; also with these as subject.
1831. Brewster, Newton (1855), II. xxiv. 356. The … distance … which his eye can embrace on the surface of the earth.
1853. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith, 308. Religious truth … is embraced by the understanding.
1877. E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, ii. 69. The infinite … the intellect can seize though not embrace.
1884. Times, 6 Sept., 8/3. You embrace the whole broad panorama of wood and water and verdant meadows.
