Also 4 engreyne, 6 engrene. [f. EN-1, IN- + GRAIN.
Palsgr. 1530 gives a Fr. engrainer to dye. The word, whether first formed in Fr. or Eng., was suggested by the Fr. phrase en graine adapted in Eng. as in grain) where graine means the cochineal dye. Hence to engrain and to dye in grain meant originally to dye with cochineal, and subsequently to dye in any fast color. But afterwards they came to be associated with the word grain, a Fr. grain, the ‘fiber’ or minute structure of a thing; so that in mod. use ‘to dye in (the) grain’ means to impregnate the very substance of the material with the dye, to dye the wool before it is woven; and the present senses of the vb. engrain have distinct reference to grain ‘minute structure.’ On the whole the form engrain is now preferred to ingrain; see however the note on ENGRAINED ppl. a.]
† 1. trans. To dye scarlet or crimson with cochineal; hence, to dye in fast colors, dye in grain. Also transf. and fig. Obs. or arch.
Already regarded as an archaism in Spenser’s time, as the glossary to Shep. Cal. explains engrained by ‘dyed in grain.’
α. 1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. II. 15. Hire robe was ful riche of red scarlet engreyned.
1465. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 162. Fyne crymysyne engreyned.
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 264. I delyuered my clothes engrened to Mayster Foster.
1532–3. Act 24 Hen. VIII., c. 13. Clothe of the colours of scarlet, crimosen, or violet engrayned.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Feb., 131. With Leaues engrained in lusty greene. Ibid. (1591), Virgils Gnat, 666. The Rose engrained in pure scarlet die.
1596. Fitz-Geffrey, Sir F. Drake (1881), 35. His worth in honours purest dye engraine.
β. 1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 144 b. They shall not be clothed in soft or precious apparell, as veluet, sattin, or damaske, or crimosine ingrayned but in sackecloth.
1597. Daniel, Civ. Wares, II. cxvii. Our fields ingrayn’d with blood.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 695. A colour in-grained with the dung of a Crocodile.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 171. It being true blew Gotham or Hobbes ingrain’d, one of the two.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 163. Milesian wools … ingrained With Tyrian crimsons.
2. To cause (a dye) to sink into the texture of a fabric; to work (a foreign substance) into the ‘fiber,’ the intimate structure of anything. Chiefly fig. to implant ineradicably (habits, convictions, prejudices, tastes) in a person.
α. a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 129. When the spots are engrained, and will not out by scouring, [etc.].
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxv. The stain hath become engrained by time and consuetude.
a. 1862. Buckle, Civiliz. (1873), III. i. 43. With such force … had the circumstance just narrated, engrained superstition in the Scotch character.
1862. Max Müller, Chips (1880), I. ix. 184. The feeling … is so deeply engrained in human nature.
β. 1746–7. Hervey, Medit. (1818), 42. Evil habits … thoroughly ingrained in the disposition.
1878. G. Gottheil, in N. Amer. Rev., CXXVII. 90. This republicanism the Talmudists have ingrained in him.
3. In passive: To be indelibly marked with.
1863. Baring-Gould, Iceland, 160. A post very old, and ingrained with filth.
4. † a. To give a certain kind of texture to (obs. rare–1). b. nonce-use. To form a granular surface on the skin).
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T. (1613), 147. She was wont, in Asses milke to bathe her, to engraine her skin more gentle, plyant, delicate and supple.
1862. Burton, Bk.-Hunter, 32. The countless little wrinkles which engrained his skin.
