[f. L. *ēnervāt- ppl. stem of ēnervāre to extract the sinews of, weaken, f. ē out + nervus sinew (see NERVE sb.). The later use is influenced by the mod. sense of nerve. Cf. ENERVE v.
(In 17–18th c. the accentuation was usually ene·rvate.)]
† 1. trans. To cut the tendons of; chiefly spec. to hamstring, hough (a horse). Also (see quot. 1751.). Obs.
1638. Featly, Transubst. Exploded, 183. You cut your selfe in the hammes, and enervate your maine argument.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Enervate … to cut off sinews.
1702. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Josh. xi. 9. They were wont thus to enervate all the horses they found in the king’s stables after his death.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Cutting two tendons on the side of a horse’s head … they thus enervate horses, to make their heads small and lean.
† 2. To emasculate. Obs. rare–1.
1610. J. H[ealey], trans. Augustine’s City of God, VII. xxiv. 285. If earth were held no goddesse, men would … not [lay their hands] upon themselves, to enervate themselues for her.
3. To weaken physically (a person or animal); now only of agencies that impair nervous ‘tone,’ as luxury, indolence, hot or malarious climates.
a. 1668. Denham, Of Old Age, ii. (1669), 21 (R.).
| But yet I feel no weakness, nor hath length | |
| Of Winters quite enervated my strength. |
1757. Dyer, Fleece, I. (1761), 58 (R.). No … myrtle bow’rs, The vig’rous frame and lofty heart of man Enervate.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F. (1869), II. xlii. 559. The conquerors were enervated by luxury.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 303. I, therefore, the King of Poland, enervated by age.
1805. Nelson, Lett., 1 Oct. in A. Duncan, Life (1806), 243. I have had … one of my … spasms, which has almost enervated me.
1855–60. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, iii. § 184. Their crews enervated in tropical climates.
† b. To impair the strength of (inanimate things). Obs.
1667. Waterhouse, Fire Lond., 69. Chapels, Churches, Monuments … it … flaked and enervated.
4. To weaken mentally or morally; to destroy the capacity of (a person, a community, etc.) for vigorous effort of intellect or will. Said esp. of the effects of luxury or sloth. Also, to destroy or impair the vigor of (sentiments, expressions, etc.).
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. 64. Luxury, wherewith most Empires that ever were, have beene enervated.
1625. Donne, Serm. (1640), lxvi. 665 e. God shall shake, and enfeeble, and enervate, destroy and demolish that constancy.
1652. Bp. Patrick, Fun. Serm., in J. Smith’s Sel. Disc., 555. Do not … enervate your souls by idleness.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 290/131.
| No lust enervates their Heroick Mind, | |
| Nor wasts their Strength on wanton Woman-Kind. |
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. III. xxviii. 118. By imputing vice to nature … we enervate that detestation which arises … upon the mention of those things which we denominate unnatural.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., § 5. 149. The tendency of abstract thought and various knowledge to enervate the will is one of the real dangers of the highest education.
† 5. To destroy the force of (arguments, testimony, etc.); to destroy the grounds of (a doctrine, an opinion); to render ineffectual (a law, an authority, an opponent’s efforts, etc.). Obs. Sometimes expanded into To enervate the force of.
1610. Donne, Pseudo-Martyr, 271. Because the Glosse is now by some thought, to be of equal authoritie with the Text, it is not an inconuenient way to eneruate both.
1634. Acts Durham High Com. Crt. (1857), 99. To enervaite the testimony of the wittnesses.
1653. Ashwell, Fides Apost., 271. I … have enervated most of those Arguments, which I have found brought against either.
1672. Newton, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men (1841), II. 318. So acute an objector hath said nothing that can enervate any part of it [my discourse].
a. 1674. Clarendon, Surv. Leviath. (1676), 108. A … Prince, who hath not enervated those Machinations.
1702. Echard, Eccl. Hist. (1710), 538. He might … enervate the force and vigour of all divine injunctions.
a. 1718. Penn, Wks. (1726), I. 452. Something that can resolve its Doubts, answer its Objections, enervate its Propositions.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 417. In the next year … this wise provision was enervated, by only [etc.].
1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., iii. (1852), 82. Enervate the force of legislative sanctions.
† b. To disparage the power or value of (something). Obs.
a. 1612. Donne, Βιαθανατος (1644), 207. To enervate and maime … that repentance which is admitted for sufficient in the Romane Church.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 216/1. Not that … he [Zeno] did enervate Vertue.
