Also 7 exenterat. [f. L. exenterāt- (exinterāt-) ppl. stem of exenterāre (exinterāre), f. ex- out + Gr. ἔντερ-ον intestine. Cf. Gr. ἐξεντερίζειν.]
1. trans. To take out the entrails of; to eviscerate, disembowel. Obs. in literal sense.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, V. xv. § 3 (1617), 672 (R.). In this beastly caruing of humane bodies:… sometimes exenterating women.
1630. Donne, Serm., xxv. (1640), 246. Such bodies as were exenterated and embowelled, and then filled up, and plastered about with spices and gums, to preserve them from putrifaction.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. xiii. 136. Nor doe they [toads] containe … urinary parts … as may appeare unto any that exenterats or dissects them.
a. 1697. Aubrey, Life Bacon, in Lett. Emin. Persons (1813), II. 227. They went into a poore woman’s house … and bought a hen, and made the woman exenterate it.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
fig. 1636. W. Ambrose, in Ann. Dubrensia, 37. Summon the world, exenterate old stories.
1641. Frogs of Egypt, 5. Great God!… Who justly dost exenterate with shame All Enemies to Thee.
1822. Southey, Lett. (1856), III. 337. A boxful of papers … which I have to read and exenterate.
1886. Blackie, in 19th Cent., April, 535. Exenterating itself of its own better soul.
† 2. To take out (the bowels or internal parts).
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 21. The reins [of an Asse] exenterated, bruised and put into new pure wine.
1609. Bp. W. Barlow, Answ. Nameless Cath., 68. A Carrionly Curre, entring her Tombe, and exenterrating her very bowels to staunch his rage.
transf. 1612. J. Cotta, Disc. Dang. Pract. Phys., II. i. 88. Vnlawfully they exenterate and eate out the bowels of poore mens purses.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 212. It [riches] exenterates and pulls out the very bowels from the profoundest parts of the earth.
Hence Exenterated ppl. a., deprived of entrails, disembowelled; also fig. Exenterating vbl. sb.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 88. Exenterated Animals … are stuffed with medicamental … things.
1663. Flagellum or O. Cromwell (1672), 17. The Kingdom had one Viper more fostered, to the exenterating of her bowels.
1827. Hare, Guesses (1859), 141. Exenterated rulemongers and eviscerated logicians.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, I. 60. Fragments of exenterated maids (…belonging to the order Pisces…).
