a. Now rare or Obs. [ad. L. turgēnt-em, pr. pple. of turgēre to swell out, be swollen or inflated: see -ENT.]
1. Physically swelling or swollen; distended, turgid.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 601. The turgent trunke let scarifie, That humour effluent out of it hie.
1657. Physical Dict., Turgent,… usually spoken of the humors of the body when they are in combustion and violent motion.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 59. When [the eyes] are preternaturally distended in an Ophthalmia, and so grow turgent and conspicuous.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIV. 478. An Asthmatical Woman, whose Lungs [were] turgent with Serum.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1752), 332. The cow’s … teats will be turgent and spring forth.
1730–46. Thomson, Autumn, 693. While Perfection breathes White o’er the turgent film [of the grape] the living dew.
2. fig. Swollen or inflated with pride or conceit; bumptious; also, using inflated language.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. iii. VII. Good men doe not alwaies finde grace and favour, least they should be puffed vp with turgent titles, growe insolent and prowd.
1654. Hammond, Answ. Animadv. Ignat., iii. § 2. 54. All must be rejected … which hath any of this turgent style, or these barbarous words in it.
1681. H. More, Exp. Dan., App. iii. 393. This Title were too big and turgent for any private Church.
