Also 6 eructuacyon. [ad. L. ēructātiōn-em, n. of action f. ēructāre: see ERUCT.]
1. The action of voiding wind from the stomach through the mouth; belching.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 41 b. The savour of his meate by eructation ascendeth.
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, viii. (1870), 247. Lest that the meate which is in your stomacke, thorow eructuacyons … ascend.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1655), 71. Ginger … preventeth sowre eructation.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria, 17. Cabbage … is greatly accus’d for lying undigested in the Stomack and provoking Eructations.
1847. Youatt, Horse, xiv. 300. The animal has no power to expel this dangerous flatus by eructation.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 67. Dyspepsia … attended with … enormous eructations after meals.
† b. fig. Obs.
1647. H. More, Poems, 235. Oft the soul lets flie Such unexpected eructations.
1683. Argt. for Union, 22. They have Mental Prayer, and … Spiritual Eructations.
2. The eruptive action of a volcano; violent emission (of flames, etc.). Also fig.
1652. J. Hall, Height Elog., 65. The Ætna, whose eructations throw whole stones from its depths.
1678. Marvell, Def. John Howe, Wks. (1875), IV. 234. But a perpetual eructation there is of humane passions.
1692. Ray, Phys. Theol. Disc. (1713), 19. The mountain Ætna, at the last Eructation … disgorged … a Flood of melted Materials.
1783. Phil. Trans., LXXIII. 161. The eructation of elastic vapour from below.
1862. G. P. Scrope, Volcanoes, 24. The column of ashes projected becomes gradually shorter, the eructations less frequent.
3. concr. That which is belched forth. Also fig.
1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr., I. iii. 161. What is it else, but an eructation of the minde.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., III. 155. The grosser Steams … are the fuliginous Eructations of that internal Fire which constantly burns within us.
1701. trans. Le Clerc’s Prim. Fathers, 104. One [Philogonius Bishop of Antioch] … said, ‘That the Son was an Eructation [etc.].’
