v. [Prob. of twofold formation: (1) ad. Fr. incrust-er or It. incrustare (used in sense 1), ad. L. incrustāre, f. in upon + crusta CRUST. (2) f. EN-1, IN- + CRUST, or ad. Fr. encroûter (in 16th c. encrouster) of equivalent formation. The en- and in- forms are both in common use, without any differentiation of sense; the Dictionaries mostly favor incrust, but encrust appears to be the more frequent in actual use.]
1. trans. To ornament (a surface) by overlaying it with a crust of precious material. Also To encrust into.
α. 1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. xii. 262. The outside of the edifice was encrusted with marble.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, I. 142. As if the whole tree were encrusted with molten jewellery.
a. 1859. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., V. 196. A staircase encrusted with jasper.
1875. Fortnum, Maiolica, xi. 101. The painted and incised bacini, which are encrusted into her church towers and façades.
β. 1641. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 35. The church of the Jesuits is … a glorious fabric without and within, wholly incrusted with marble.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. liii. 295. The walls were incrusted with marbles of various colours.
1885. C. J. Stone, Chr. bef. Christ, 44. Vases incrusted with diamonds and lapis lazuli.
2. To cover with a crust or thin coating (e.g., of rust, sedimentary deposits, etc.). Also of scales, shellfish, etc.: To form a crust or hard coating on (a surface).
α. 1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 313. In those dreary countries, the instruments … that are kept in the pocket … are quickly encrusted.
1806. Med. Jrnl., XV. 535. He now was encrusted with one scab over every part of his face and body.
1828. Stark, Elem. Nat. Hist., I. 482. Scales encrusting the soft part of the dorsal and anal fins.
1854. F. Bakewell, Geol., 87. Sulphur is found … encrusting the sides in considerable quantities.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 433. The blocks of masonry … are now encrusted by shell-fish and seaweeds.
β. 1733. Pope, Hor. Sat., II. i. 73. Let Jove incrust Swords, pikes, and guns, with everlasting rust.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 23. Such … waters … incrust vessels in which they are contained.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 23. Their faces, hands, and naked feet being literally incrusted with dirt.
b. fig.
α. 1806. Southey, Lett. (1856), I. 359. Some rejected Christ, as an unfit nucleus to encrust with their fables.
1861. Mill, Utilit., iii. 42. The simple fact is … encrusted over with collateral associations.
β. 1742. Young, Nt. Th., I. 157. How was my heart incrusted by the world!
1837. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm., III. xvii. 265. Satan … may incrust it with his own evil creations.
1858. Holland, Titcomb’s Lett., viii. 80. You get habits of thought and life that incrust you.
1873. H. Rogers, Orig. Bible, viii. (1874), 326. Many languages … were still so incrusted with barbarism.
3. To form into a crust, deposit as a crust.
1726. Thomson, Winter, 756. The winter snow Incrusted hard.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville (1849), 151. It was sufficiently incrusted to bear a pedestrian.
4. a. intr. for refl. To form itself into a crust. b. intr. To form or deposit a crust upon.
1725. Huxham, in Phil. Trans., XXXIII. 381. The Pustules … did not incrust yellow. Ibid. (1754), XLIX. 26. This chanel of fire … is covered by the … lava, which cools and incrusts on its surface.
1865. Pusey, Truth Eng. Ch., 30. A mass of unauthorized traditional glosses … had encrusted over the Thirty-nine Articles.
5. To shut up, imprison as within a crust. rare.
a. 1711. Ken, Poet. Wks. (1721), IV. 528. Tho’ I should … In Alps of Ice encrusted, freeze.
1830. Sir J. Herschel, Stud. Nat. Phil., 79. The statue might be conceived encrusted in its marble envelope.
