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I/Imbue
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Visual memory aid for Imbue

Imbue

To fill or saturate something with a particular quality, feeling, or idea; to inspire or influence deeply.

verb
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Imagine This

The president of the dye company who went into the vat to test the color of the dye and shouted, 'I'm blue!'

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Sounds Like

im-BYOU

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Looks Like

Visually resembles the base word 'imbue'; looks like the same spelling.

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Remember This

Imbue conveys a strong transfer of color or metaphorical quality. It often precedes the object with 'with' (imbue someone/something with a quality).

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Other Forms

imbuesverb
imbuingverb
imbuedadjective
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Connect With

infuse, permeate, pervade, saturate, inspire, instill

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Note

Imbue is transitive and takes a direct object with 'with' (imbue someone with courage). Do not confuse with 'imbibe' (to drink) or 'inbue' (obsolete).

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Study Deeper

Examples
  • Her speech imbued the audience with a sense of purpose.
  • The coach sought to imbue the team with discipline and focus.
Synonyms
infusepermeatepervadesaturateinstill
Antonyms
deprive ofdrainremove
Etymology

From Latin imbuere 'to moisten, saturate,' from in- 'in' + buere 'to wet'; via Old French imbuer.

Mnemonic

Mnemonic: I'm blue — remember imbue as saturating something with color or feeling, just as blue dye saturates fabric.