† 1. trans. To place in a (celestial) ‘sphere.’
1615. Val. Welshm. (1663), B iij 2. Eternal peace, free from the hate of men, Insphear thy soul, and mount it to the stars.
1634. Milton, Comus, 3. Where those immortal shapes Of bright aereal spirits live inspheard.
2. To enclose in, or as in, a sphere; to encircle, enclose. Also fig.
1616. Chapman, Homer’s Hymns, To Hermes, 394. His ample shoulders in a cloud enspher’d Of fierie chrimsine.
c. 1630. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Wks. 13. As that high circle, which the rest enspheres.
a. 1634. Chapman, Sonn., iii. None like Homer hath the world enspher’d, Earth, seas and heaven fix’d in his verse.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., To King on Taking Leicester. Victory do’s rest, Enspher’d with palm on your triumphant crest.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, I. 345. The clear strong stars … insphere Our habitation.
1876. T. Hardy, Hand Ethelberta, II. 98. Being completely ensphered by the fog.
b. To contain as a sphere does.
1612. Donne, Elegy Mrs. Drury, 2nd Anniv., 78, Wks. 1872, I. 133. Shee whose eyes ensphear’d Star light inough, t’ have made the south controll … the star-full northern pole.
3. To make into a sphere, give spherical form to. Also fig.
1640. T. Carew, Poems, Obseq. Lady A. Hay. Virgins … Shall draw thy picture … One shall enspheare thine eyes.
1852. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith (1853), 24. His true emblem is the hedgehog ensphered in his prickles.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, I. 1007. Who … turning grandly on his central self Ensphered himself in twenty perfect years.
Hence Enspherement, Ensphering vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1841. Blackw. Mag., L. 153. Man’s belief … received by historic tradition and customary enspherement.
1872. Bushnell, Serm. Living Subj., 13. A visible insphering in flesh.
1652. Benlowes, Theoph., IV. xxii. 54. Twining Embraces with’s ensphearing ARM of LOVE!
1856. Masson, Ess. 3 Devils, 73. The ensphering atmosphere and the storms that rage in it.
