[ad. (directly or through Fr. émerger) L. ēmergĕre, f. ē out + mergĕre to dip.]
† 1. intr. To rise by virtue of buoyancy, from or out of a liquid. Obs. exc. as a contextual use of 2.
1667. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual. Emerging to the top of a much heavier Liquor.
1721. Bailey, Emerge … when a … Body … lighter than Water, being thrust down … into it, rises again … it is said to immerge [sic] out of the Water.
2. To come up out of a liquid in which (the subject) has been immersed. Also transf. to rise from (under the surface of) the earth.
1640. G. Watts, trans. Bacon’s Adv. Learn., II. xiii. 121 (R.). From whose [Medusa’s] bloud gushing out, instantly emerged Pegasus the flyeing Horse.
1684. T. Burnet, The. Earth (1697), 50 (J.). They partly emerg’d, and became dry Land again.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., v. 168. Great Multitudes of each Species of Animals did fortuitously emerge out of the Soil.
1700. Dryden, Homer, Wks. 1821, XII. 377. Thetis … emerging from the deep.
1765. Cowper, Lett., 4 July. Just emerged from the Ouse, I sit down to thank you.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Result, Wks. (Bohn), II. 137. The Ocean out of which [Great Britain] emerged.
3. To come forth into view; to pass out, issue, from an enclosed space, area of obscuration, etc.
1700. Dryden, Pythagorean Philos., in Fables, 513 (J.).
| Darkness we see emerges into Light, | |
| And shining Suns descend to Sable Night. |
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 144, ¶ 3. No sooner can any man emerge from the crowd.
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend, I. 5. He emerged from his place of shelter.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 22. 157. I … saw the party … emerging from one of the hollows of the mountain.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 141. By the time the stream emerges [from the lake].
¶ quasi-trans. (cf. depart this life, etc.)
1675. R. Burthogge, Causa Dei, 238. Here … as on a … tumultuous Sea, men are Uncapable of … discerning God … but hereafter, when they have emerged it, they shall [etc.].
b. spec. in Optics of a ray of light after passing through a lens, prism, etc.; in Astron. of a heavenly body after occultation or eclipse.
1704. Newton, Opticks, 19 (T.). The Rays emerge more obliquely out of the second refracting Surface of the Prism.
1833. Sir J. Herschel, Astron., x. § 541 (1858), 361/2. The satellite … will emerge … after … occultation.
1839. G. Bird, Nat. Philos., 379. If the glass parallelopiped be sufficiently long, the beam of light will emerge circularly polarized.
4. fig. To rise into notice, come forth from obscurity; also, to issue from a state of subjection, suffering, embarrassment, etc.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 296. The Pope once emerged above the Emperour even in Secular Power.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., 79–80. The Empire began to emerge from that black night of Ignorance.
1713. Bentley, Rem. Disc. Freethink., II. § 44. 17 (T.). Children; who must needs have emerg’d in a Secular Life.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 71. How very soon France … recovered and emerged from the longest and most dreadful civil war that ever was known in any nation.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), II. vi. 13. He emerges into distinct notice … ten years subsequent.
1876. Green, Stray Stud., 185. Florence emerged into communal greatness.
† b. Used (like L. evadere) for: To ‘turn out,’ become. Obs.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria (1729), 146. An accomplish’d Sallet-Dresser … to emerge an exact Critic.
5. Of a fact, principle, etc.: To come out as the result of an investigation or discussion. Of a state of things, a question or problem: To ‘crop up,’ arise, present itself for solution (esp. suddenly or unexpectedly).
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 86/2. All difficult questions in all prouinces whatsoeuer emerging.
1680. H. More, Apocal. Apoc., 10. Hence emerges a difficulty.
1702. Evelyn, in Pepys, Diary, VI. 254. Instructions naturally emerging from the subject.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, ii. 52. So many reasons would continually emerge.
1791. Burke, Thoughts Fr. Affairs, Wks. 1815, VII. 50. The train of things as they successively emerge.
1861. Tulloch, Eng. Purit., i. 30. The political difficulty, therefore, did not emerge in Elizabeth’s reign.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., 249. Here emerges the question as to compulsory attendance at courses of lecture.
