Imbue vs Confer - What's the difference?
imbue | confer |
(transitive): To wet or stain an object completely with some physical quality.
In general, to act in a way which results in an object becoming completely permeated or impregnated by some quality.
(obsolete) To compare.
* 1557 (book title):
*, II.3.1.i:
* Boyle
To talk together, to consult, discuss; to deliberate.
* 1974 , "A Traveler's Perils", Time , 25 Mar 1974:
(obsolete) To bring together; to collect, gather.
To grant as a possession; to bestow.
* Milton
* 2010 , Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer , 7 Feb 2010:
(obsolete) To contribute; to conduce.
* Glanvill
In lang=en terms the difference between imbue and confer
is that imbue is (transitive): to wet or stain an object completely with some physical quality while confer is to grant as a possession; to bestow.As verbs the difference between imbue and confer
is that imbue is (transitive): to wet or stain an object completely with some physical quality while confer is (obsolete|intransitive) to compare.imbue
English
Verb
(imbu)- The shirt was imbued with his scent.
- The entire text is imbued with the sense of melancholy and hopelessness.
Usage notes
* Imbue takes meaning from the word imbibe, which means "to absorb or to be filled with".confer
English
Verb
(conferr)- The Newe Testament ... Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best approued translations.
- Confer thine estate with others […]. Be content and rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others […].
- If we confer these observations with others of the like nature, we may find cause to rectify the general opinion.
- Local buttons popped when Henry Kissinger visited Little Rock last month to confer with Fulbright on the Middle East oil talks.
- the public marks of honour and reward conferred upon me
- The special immunities that are conferred on MPs were framed with the essential purpose of allowing them to speak freely in parliament.
- The closeness and compactness of the parts resting together doth much confer to the strength of the union.
