Part 206

Syn. -- Detestable; odious; scandalous; disgraceful; base; vile; shameful; ignominious.

In"fa*mous*ly, adv. In an infamous manner or degree; scandalously; disgracefully; shamefully.

The sealed fountain of royal bounty which had been infamously monopolized and huckstered.

Burke.

In"fa*mous*ness, n. The state or quality of being infamous; infamy.

In"fa*my (?), n.; pl. Infamies (#). [L. infamia, fr. infamis infamous; pref. in- not + fama fame: cf. F. infamie. See Fame.]

1. Total loss of reputation; public disgrace; dishonor; ignominy; indignity.

The afflicted queen would not yield, and said she would not . . . submit to such infamy.

Bp. Burnet.

2. A quality which exposes to disgrace; extreme baseness or vileness; as, the infamy of an action.

3. (Law) That loss of character, or public disgrace, which a convict incurs, and by which he is at common law rendered incompetent as a witness.

In"fan*cy (?), n. [L. infantia: cf. F. enfance. See Infant.]

1. The state or period of being an infant; the first part of life; early childhood.

The babe yet lies in smiling infancy.

Milton.

Their love in early infancy began.

Dryden.

2. The first age of anything; the beginning or early period of existence; as, the infancy of an art.

The infancy and the grandeur of Rome.

Arbuthnot.

3. (Law) The state or condition of one under age, or under the age of twenty-one years; nonage; minority.

In*fan"dous (?), a. [L. infandus; pref. in- not + fari to speak.] Too odious to be expressed or mentioned. [Obs.] Howell.

In*fang"thef (?), n. [AS. in-fangen- þeóf; in in, into + fangen taken (p. p. of fn to take) + þeóf thief.] (O. Eng. Law) The privilege granted to lords of certain manors to judge thieves taken within the seigniory of such lords. Cowell.

In"fant (?), n. [L. infans; pref. in- not + fari to speak: cf. F. enfant, whence OE. enfaunt. See Fame, and cf. Infante, Infanta.] 1. A child in the first period of life, beginning at his birth; a young babe; sometimes, a child several years of age.

And tender cries of infants pierce the ear.

C. Pitt.

2. (Law) A person who is not of full age, or who has not attained the age of legal capacity; a person under the age of twenty-one years; a minor.

An infant under seven years of age is not penally responsible; between seven and fourteen years of age, he may be convicted of a malicious offense if malice be proved. He becomes of age on the day preceding his twenty-first birthday, previous to which time an infant has no capacity to contract.