[a. OF. sublimer, ad. L. sublīmāre, f. sublīmis SUBLIME a.]
1. trans. To subject (a substance) to the action of heat in a vessel so as to convert it into vapor, which is carried off and on cooling is deposited in a solid form.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. T., Preamb. 51. The care and wo That we hadden in oure matires sublymyng.
1460–70. Bk. Quinte Essence, 4. By contynuel ascendynge and descendynge, by the which it is sublymed to so myche hiȝnes of glorificacioun. Ibid., 8. Take Mercurie þat is sublymed with vitriol, & comen salt, & sal armoniac .7. or .10. tymes sublymed.
1558. Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr., 102 b. To sublime Quicke Syluer, that is to saye, to make common sublyme.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., II. v. How doe you sublime him [mercury]? Fac. With the calce of egge-shels, White marble, talck.
1697. Headrich, Arcana Philos., 27. Put the Mixture into a Sublimatory; from which sublime it ten or twelve times.
1730. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos., II. xviii. § 9. Even a Metal … may be sublimed and mix’d with the Air by the Heat of Fire.
1774. J. Hill, Theophr. (ed. 2), 235. Our factitious Cinnabar, made only by subliming Mercury and Sulphur together.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., x. (1842), 262. It is easy to sublime and crystallize such bodies as camphor, iodine, naphthaline.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem., 214. Ammonium Chloride … is obtained … by subliming a mixture of the commercial sulphate of ammonium with common salt.
absol. 1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., VIII. i. in Ashm. (1652), 171. We Sublyme not lyke as they do.
1596. Forman, Diary (Halliw.), 28. The 27 of Aprill in subliming, my pot and glasse brok, and all my labour was lost pro lapide.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., II. v. Can you sublime, and dulcefie?
1678. R. Russell, trans. Geber, II. I. IV. x. 108. This he well knows who hath sublimed in short Sublimatories.
2. trans. To cause to be given off by sublimation or an analogous process (e.g., volcanic heat); to carry over as vapor, which resolidifies on cooling; to extract by or as by sublimation.
1460–70. Bk. Quinte Essence, 5. Þe purete of þe quinte essencie schal be sublymed aboue.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., VIII. ii. in Ashm. (1652), 171. Som do Mercury from Vitriall and Salt sublyme.
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. xvi. 83. Glasse may be made of antimonie and of lead … by subliming flowers out of them.
1640. T. Carew, Poems (1651), 156. No more than Chimists can sublime True Gold.
1674. Grew, Anat. Pl. (1682), 246. The saline Principle is altogether volatile, and sublimed away by the fire.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., I. 94, note. This ponderous earth has been found … in a granite in Switzerland, and may have thus been sublimed from immense depths by great heat.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), I. 419. Sulphur has been sublimed from it.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xxiv. (1842), 613. Put a portion of calomel into a Florence flask, and sublime it into the upper part by placing the bottom in sand.
1833. Brewster, Nat. Magic, xii. 299. We may yet study the lava which they have melted, and the products which they have sublimed.
1869. Phillips, Vesuv., iv. 107. Chloride of lead was among the substances sublimed.
3. intr. († occas. refl.) a. To undergo this process; to pass from the solid to the gaseous state without liquefaction.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 274. There remaineth a Paste … called the Almond Paste, which by a limbecke receiuing fire, causeth the Quickesiluer to subleme [sic].
1651. French, Distill., vi. 192. It will presently sublime in a silver fume, into the recipient.
1682. K. Digby, Chym. Secr., 166. You shall see a little [Sal armoniac] sublime up to the discovered place of the Retort.
1683. Pettus, Fleta Min., I. 42. The Brimstone … doth roast away, and the Arsnick doth sublime it self with a strong heat.
1797. Phil. Trans., LXXXVII. 388. The acid will not sublime from it, but is decomposed by heat.
1823. Faraday, Exp. Res., No. 18. 82. It will … sublime from one part of the bottle to the other in the manner of camphor.
1841. Brande, Man. Chem. (ed. 5), 458. At higher temperatures it again liquifies, and at about 600° it boils, and sublimes in the form of an orange-coloured vapour.
1908. Athenæum, 28 March, 390/1. All the ‘nonvalent’ elements … should sublime, or pass from the solid into the gaseous state without liquefaction.
b. To be deposited in a solid form from vapor produced by sublimation.
1682. K. Digby, Chym. Secr., 169. It will sublime with it in very red flowers.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 370. When the benjamin is heated the flowers will sublime.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 760. The arsenic sublimes … and adheres to the upper part of the vessel.
1856. Miller, Elem. Chem., Inorg., xvii. § 1. 1016. Calomel sublimes in quadrilateral prisms.
4. trans. To raise to an elevated sphere or exalted state; to exalt or elevate to a high degree of purity or excellence; to make (esp. morally or spiritually) sublime.
1609. G. Benson, Serm., 7 May, 93. Let your thoughts be sublimed by the spirit of God.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter ii. 4. 499. Persons so sublim’d, that what makes them everlastingly happy, shall never make them weary.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. 8. [Jesus] hallowed marriage … having new sublim’d it by making it a Sacramentall representment of the union of Christ and … the Church.
a. 1711. Ken, Psyche, Poet. Wks. IV. 253. As bless’d Elijah pray’d his Servants Eye Might be sublim’d the Angels to descry.
1729. Savage, Wanderer, v. 521. No true benevolence his thought sublimes.
1765. Goldsm., Ess., Metaphor, Wks. (Globe), 33/1. A judicious use of metaphors wonderfully raises, sublimes, and adorns oratory or elocution.
1814. Southey, Roderick, III. 398. Call it not Revenge! thus sanctified and thus sublimed, ’Tis duty, ’tis devotion.
1819. Byron, Juan, II. clxxx. The blest sherbet, sublimed with snow.
1858. Merivale, Rom. Emp., liv. (1865), VI. 415. It sublimed every aspiration after the Good … by pronouncing it the instinct of divinity within us.
1861. M. Arnold, Pop. Educ. France, 146. Morality—but dignified, but sublimed by being taught in connection with religious sentiment.
1873. Pater, Renaissance, 176. The aspiring element, by force and spring of which Greek religion sublimes itself.
1880. Hardy, Trumpet-Major, xxxiii. Bob’s countenance was sublimed by his recent interview, like that of a priest just come from the penetralia of the temple.
b. above, beyond, or higher than a certain state or standard.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. ix. § 2 (1622), 296. The very end of Geometrie is nothing else, but onely to sublime mens mindes aboue their senses,… to the contemplation of Gods æternall Nature.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Clerus Domini, v. § 7. 31. Who can make it (ministerially I mean) and consecrate or sublime it from common … bread, but a consecrate … person?
1657. G. Starkey, Helmont’s Vind., 15. [The Philosopher’s] employment being sublimed a degree higher than Art, is ranked among the Liberal Sciences.
1820. Hazlitt, Lect. Dram. Lit., 57. A personification of the pride of will and eagerness of curiosity, sublimed beyond the reach of fear and remorse.
1866. Whipple, Char. & Charac. Men, 1. A soul sublimed by an idea above the region of vanity and conceit.
1871. Alabaster, Wheel of Law, 18. The existence of a God sublimed above all human qualities.
c. into a state or to a degree of purity, etc.
1643. J. M., Sov. Salve, 35. That confirmation in grace by which free will is transfigured and sublimed into a state divine.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Clerus Domini, iii. § 11. An ordinary gift cannot sublime an ordinary person to a supernaturall imployment.
1774. Pennant, Tour Scot. in 1772, 5. Numbers of the discontented noblesse … resorted there,… sublimed the race into that degree of valour [etc.].
1859. W. Anderson, Disc. (1860), 55. The death of Matthew Henry’s two children was designed to sublime his piety into that excellence which it attained.
† d. To purify (from). Obs.
1630. Lord, Banians, 52. The soule was impure … therefore it was needfull it should bee sublimed from this corruption.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 406. Would we could light on some nobler principles that might sublime us from these Rellolacean Principles.
† e. With material obj. Obs.
1654. Jer. Taylor, Real Pres., 98. It is made Sacramental and Eucharistical and so it is sublimed to become the body of Christ.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 483. Flours and thir fruit Mans nourishment, by gradual scale sublim’d To vital Spirits aspire.
1740. Cheyne, Regimen, 35. That spiritual Substance was analogous to Matter infinitely rarefied, refin’d or sublim’d.
1772–84. Cook’s 3rd Voy. (1790), IV. 1254. The vines here being highly sublimed by the warmth of the sun and the dryness of the soil.
6. To transmute into something higher, nobler, or more excellent.
1695. Dryden, trans. Dufresnoy’s Art Paint., 7. Art being strengthned by the knowledge of things, may … be sublim’d into a pure Genius.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v., To Sublime one’s Flesh into a Soul.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 229. Our clay-built tabernacles sublimed into fit tabernacles of the Holy Ghost.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. V. 331. He, the œconomist,… subliming himself into an airy metaphysician.
1847. Miller, First Impr. Eng., xviii. (1857), 315. Those fictions of the classic mythology which the greater Greek and Roman writers have sublimed into poetry.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xii. III. 193. His very selfishness therefore is sublimed into public spirit.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 36. Fraser, whom whiskey sublimed into a poet.
b. intr. To become elevated, be transmuted into something higher.
1669. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 76. The blood … begins to sublime or distil into more pure refined spirits.
a. 1711. Ken, Sion, Poet. Wks. IV. 381. I feel my Faith subliming into Sight.
1874. Sears, Fourth Gospel, 172. This new faith subliming into knowledge.
6. trans. To raise up or aloft, cause to ascend.
1632. Massinger, City Madam, III. ii. I am sublim’d! grosse earth Supports me not. I walk on ayr!
c. 1650. Denham, Of Old Age, III. (1669), 34. Nor can thy head (not helpt) it self sublime.
1788. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, IV. VII. 344. With arms yet more sublimed, be … advanced, in silence and dumb heroics.
1845. Bailey, Festus (ed. 2), 241. Thoughts rise from our souls, as from the sea The clouds sublimed in Heaven.
b. To cause (vapor, etc.) to ascend, as by the action of the sun’s heat.
1633. J. Fosbroke, Chr. Race, 10. As clouds … being elevated and sublimed towards the upper region of the aire, are rarefied.
1655. Vaughan, Euphrates, 51. When the centrall Sun sublimes the Vapours.
a. 1691. Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 186. There were great Store of Pieces of Brimstone, which are guessed to be sublimed up from the internal Parts of the Hill.
1705. J. Philips, Blenheim, 8. As when two adverse Winds, Sublim’d from dewy Vapours, in mid Sky Engage with horrid Shock.
1871. C. Kingsley, At Last, vi. The malarious fog hung motionless…, waiting for the first blaze of sunrise to sublime it and its invisible poisons into the upper air.
† c. To cause (the juices of a plant, etc.) to rise, and thereby rarefy and purify them. Obs.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., II. liv. (1892), 450. Wine itself is but Water sublim’d, being nothing else but that moisture and sap which is caus’d … by rain … drawn up to the branches and berries by the virtual attractive heat of the Sun.
1655. Vaughan, Euphrates, 46. There is a way made for the sperme to ascend more freely, which subliming upwards is attracted and intercepted by the vegetable Kingdom, whose imediat aliment it is.
1712. Blackmore, Creation, II. 234. Th’ austere and ponderous Juices they sublime.
† 7. To exalt (a person), raise to a high office or degree. Obs.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr. (1619), 706/1. Mardocheous [was] placed in his roome, and greatly sublimed and exalted.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., I. i. Haue I … Sublim’d thee, and exalted thee, and fix’d thee I’the third region, call’d our state of grace?
1638. Mayne, Lucian (1664), 212/3. Gloriously crown’d … and sublimed, like one drest for a triumph.
