v. [f. LITERAL + -IZE.] trans. To render literal; to represent or accept as literal.

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1826.  G. S. Faber, Diffic. Romanism (1853), 96. If we are to literalise the words of our Lord.

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1827.  Examiner, 581/1. Ridicule is poorly employed in literalizing poetical allegory.

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1856.  R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), I. 90. This disposition to literalize metaphors gave currency to the monkish stories.

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  Hence Literalizing vbl. sb. and ppl. a. Also Literalization, the action of literalizing (1864 in Webster); Literalizer, one who literalizes.

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1848.  G. S. Faber, Many Mansions, Pref. (1851), 20. The literalising Reveries of the Chiliasts.

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1866.  Contemp. Rev., I. 538. The hierarchical, repressive, and literalizing spirit,… will be seen to exist in the Free Church of Scotland.

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1871.  Tylor, Prim. Cult., I. 352. Several of the epithets usually applied only need literalizing to turn into the wildest of the legendary monster-stories.

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1895.  Thinker Mag., VIII. 493. Ver. 14 … does not help the literalizers at all.

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