Also 6 evaperatt, 7 -ourate. [f. late L. ēvapōrāt- ppl. stem of ēvapōrā-re, f. ē out + vapor, vapōr-is steam, VAPOUR. Cf. Fr. évaporer.]
1. trans. To convert or turn into vapor; to convert from a solid or liquid into a gaseous state; to drive off in the form of vapor. Said both of natural and personal agents. To evaporate † in or into: to change by evaporation into.
1555. Eden, Decades, 335 b. Euaporatynge the quickesyluer from it in a styllatory of glasse.
1604. James I., Counterbl. to Tobacco (Arb.), 104. The raynie cloudes are often transformed and euaporated in blustering winds.
a. 1648. Digby, Closet Open. (1677), 18. Clove gilly flowers must never be boiled in the liquor: that evaporateth their spirits.
1794. J. Hutton, Philos. Light, &c. 193. When we expose such a body to a burning heat … the aqueous part is evaporated.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 64. In the leaves much of the water of the sap is evaporated.
1836. Emerson, Nat., Commodity, Wks. (Bohn), II. 144. The wind sows the seed; the sun evaporates the sea.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxvi. (1856), 325. The snow began to move, and fell, leaving a moist stain. This was either evaporated or frozen instantly.
b. fig.
1616. Pasquil & Kath., III. 250. Blacke sorrow, nurse of plaints … Euaporate my spirit with a sigh, That it may hurrie after his sweet breath.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., iii. (1851), 111. Evaporating and exhaling the internall worship into empty conformities and gay shewes.
1647. May, Hist. Parl., I. vii. 73. They would evaporate and dis-spirit the power and vigour of Religion.
1877. L. A. Tollemache, in Fortn. Rev., Dec., 846. Did the Jews … dream of spiritually evaporating the plain prediction about David?
2. intr. To become vapor; to pass off or become dissipated in vapor. Also † To evaporate to.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 10. Being put into the fornace [this metal] doth not euaporate … neyther doth it lesse of hys waight.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XIII. 381 (R.). The sweet odour therof, which otherwise would euaporate and soon be lost.
1683. Pettus, Fleta Min., I. (1686), 122. If such an earthen Jug should crack … the Quicksilver will be lost, and will evaporate to smoak.
1698. Keill, Exam. Th. Earth (1734), 155. They [animal liquors] must evaporate and be exhaled by the extreme heat.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 369. Water is known to evaporate more powerfully in the severest frost, than when the air is moderately warm.
1858. Lardner, Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., Heat, 319. There is no temperature, however low, at which water will not evaporate.
3. fig. a. Of things: To pass off like vapor; to be wasted or dissipated. Const. into.
a. 1631. Donne, in Select. (1840), 116. I shall have a joy, which shall no more evaporate, than my soul shall evaporate.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., II. xxxiii. (1739), 149. Much of the Riches of the Nation evaporated into the Wars both Civil and Foreign.
1711. Swift, Conduct of Allies, 91 (J.). The Enemy … taken a surer way to consume us, by letting our Courage evaporate against Stones and Rubbish.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F. (1869), II. xlii. 584. These hostile menaces evaporated without effect.
1833. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. iv. (1865), 263. By this subtle vent half of the hatefulness of the character evaporates.
1862. Burton, Bk.-Hunter, 211. His memory has utterly evaporated with the departure of his own generation.
b. humorously of persons: To become missing, vanish from sight or existence.
1727. Pope, etc. Art of Sinking, 119. Any other person [than the hero of the poem] who may be lost and evaporate in the course of the work.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, I. vii. 190. I would fain evaporate through that door myself.
1821. Byron, Lett. to Moore, 1 Oct. You should have more, if I evaporate [i.e., die] within a reasonable time.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. Bob and Jonathan with similar meekness took their leave and evaporated.
4. trans. To expose or subject to evaporation; to drive off the liquid part of; to reduce by evaporation to (a residuum, a denser state). Also absol.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. iii. 68. If the menstruum or dissolvent be evaporated to a consistence.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Evaporate to a Pellicle.
1799. G. Smith, Laborat., I. 435. Evaporate to the consistence of honey.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 536. Evaporate to dryness an alcoholic solution of the resin of guaiacum.
1877. W. Thomson, Voy. Challenger, I. i. 33. For evaporating or heating in flasks or beakers a small sand-bath … has been found very useful.
5. intr. To exhale moisture; to part with liquid particles by evaporation.
1799. G. Smith, Laborat., I. 86. Let this solution evaporate over a fire until it becomes thickish.
1844–57. G. Bird, Urin. Deposits (ed. 5), 149. If a solution of it be allowed to evaporate spontaneously on a glass plate.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem., 191. A substance … is dissolved in water, and the solution allowed gradually to evaporate.
† 6. trans. To emit in the form of vapor; to give vent to, exhale; to lose (perfume, strength, etc.) by evaporation. Also absol. Obs.
1611. Cotgr., Spiracle, a hole to let ayre … in and out; also, a hole that euaporates a strong or pestilent ayre.
a. 1631. Donne, in Select. (1840), 192. By long lying they have exhaled, and evaporated, and breathed out all their gross matter.
1646. J. Hall, Poems, 52. As flowers assoone as smelled at Evaporate, Even so this shadow, ere our eyes Can view it, flies.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, II. 67. After a gentle rain … the warmth of the sun makes them [flowers] evaporate more freely.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, liv. 211. The Smoke of the Lamps is evaporated by three Funnels that are at the Roof.
1715. Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), I. 46. Having vents … through which the offensive smell is evaporated.
† b. fig. (Cf. Fr. évaporer la bile).
1591. Horsey, Trav. (Hakluyt Soc.), 188. His stomake full of their treasonable purposes, must evaperatt somwhat for revenge.
1650–3. trans. Hales’ Dissert. de Pace, in Phenix (1708), II. 370. Any one but him who … hath quite evaporated, and breath’d out all charity.
1651. Reliq. Wotton. (1685), 105. My Lord of Essex chose to evaporate his thoughts in a Sonnet.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 116, ¶ 8. It might conduce very much to evaporate the Spleen.
† 7. intr. To be emitted in the form of vapor; to be exhaled. Obs.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, Y vj. Humors … the whiche daylye and hourely, by vnsensyble swettinge, euaporatith and yssueth furthe.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, Intro. 2. Filthy vapours, euaporating or breathing out of standing pooles, channels, or other impure places.
1694. Crowne, Regulus, I. 8. A ghost? a damp evaporates from the word Which sickens me to death.
1799. Med. Jrnl., I. 464. Rendering the syphilitic poison inert, the moment it begins to evaporate.
† 8. trans. To subject to a vapor-bath; to steam. Obs. Cf. EVAPORATION 5.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, III. liii. (1639), 186. Moreover the wombe must be evaporated and fomented with odoriferous things.
Hence Evaporated ppl. a.
1846. G. E. Day, trans. Simon’s Anim. Chem., II. 52. Residue of evaporated whey, 78·0.
1870. Daily News, 23 Sept. The Swiss and American preparations of evaporated milk.
1875. H. Spencer, First Princ., II. iv. § 52. 173. The evaporated water … may be brought by condensation to its original shape.
