ppl. a. [f. ENGRAIN v.1 + -ED1. In the ppl. adj. used attrib., though not in the vb., the form with in- is more common than that with en-. In sense 2 the word is often heard with secondary (sometimes even with primary) stress on the prefix in-.]
† 1. Dyed in grain: see ENGRAIN v.1
1599. Marston, Sco. Villanie, I. iv. 189. Ingrain’d Habits, died with often dips, Are not so soone discoloured.
b. fig. with sbs. characterizing persons: Thoroughly permeated with the characteristic qualities; thoroughgoing, incorrigible. Cf. ‘a rogue in grain.’
1630. Rutherford, Lett., xii. (1862), I. 62. The bloody tongues, crafty foxes, double ingrained hypocrites shall appear as they are.
1715. Wodrow Corr. (1843), II. 53. Multitudes of engrained enemies of the succession, under the cloak of the Abjuration, served the interests of the Pretender.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 329/2. Many ingrained beggars certainly use the street trade as a cloak for alms-seeking.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. I. (1873), 277. He is an ingrained sceptic.
2. Of a dye, or foreign matter of any sort: Wrought into the inmost texture of something. Chiefly fig. of habits, sentiments, prejudices: Deeply rooted, inveterate.
1843. Gladstone, in For. & Col. Q. Rev., II. 567. Deeply engrained mischiefs and corruptions.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., II. i. § 22 (1864), 109–10. A receiver of posted letters acquires an engrained sensibility to half an ounce.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., viii. (1880), 140. The engrained absolutism and egotism of Louis XIV. … were at their acme from his earliest years.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, II. 142. From others, underneath the wasteful gulf, Their ingrained wickedness is washed away, Or is burnt out by fire.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. vii. 188. Its usual ingrained element of … cant.
1869. Echo, 20 March. His sinewy hands have got an odd, grimy appearance, as of ingrained coal-dust.
Hence Engrainedly adv.
1869. Athenæum, 16 Oct., 495. She is a liar by instinct and by principle—designedly and undesignedly a liar; an utterly, ingrainedly untrue creature.
