Part 214

In*fest"ive (?), a. [L. infestivus. See In- not, and Festive.] Having no mirth; not festive or merry; dull; cheerless; gloomy; forlorn. [R.]

In`fes*tiv"i*ty (?), n. Want of festivity, cheerfulness, or mirth; dullness; cheerlessness. [R.]

In*fes"tu*ous (?; 135), a. [L. infestus. See Infest, a.] Mischievous; harmful; dangerous. [Obs.] "Infestuous as serpents." Bacon.

In`feu*da"tion (?), n. [LL. infeudatio, fr. infeudare to enfeoff: cf. F. inféodation. See Feud a fief.]

1. (Law) The act of putting one in possession of an estate in fee. Sir M. Hale.

2. The granting of tithes to laymen. Blackstone.

In*fib`u*la"tion (?), n. [L. infibulare, infibulatum, to clasp, buckle, or button together; pref. in- in + fibula clasp, buckle: cf. F. infibulation.]

1. The act of clasping, or fastening, as with a buckle or padlock.

2. The act of attaching a ring, clasp, or frame, to the genital organs in such a manner as to prevent copulation.

In"fi*del (?), a. [L. infidelis; pref. in- not + fidelis faithful, fr. fides faith: cf. F. infidèle. See Fidelity.] Not holding the faith; -- applied esp. to one who does not believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, and the supernatural origin of Christianity.

The infidel writer is a great enemy to society.

V. Knox.

In"fi*del, n. One who does not believe in the prevailing religious faith; especially, one who does not believe in the divine origin and authority of Christianity; a Mohammedan; a heathen; a freethinker.

Infidel is used by English writers to translate the equivalent word used Mohammedans in speaking of Christians and other disbelievers in Mohammedanism.

Syn. -- Infidel, Unbeliever, Freethinker, Deist, Atheist, Sceptic, Agnostic. An infidel, in common usage, is one who denies Christianity and the truth of the Scriptures. Some have endeavored to widen the sense of infidel so as to embrace atheism and every form of unbelief; but this use does not generally prevail. A freethinker is now only another name for an infidel. An unbeliever is not necessarily a disbeliever or infidel, because he may still be inquiring after evidence to satisfy his mind; the word, however, is more commonly used in the extreme sense. A deist believes in one God and a divine providence, but rejects revelation. An atheist denies the being of God. A sceptic is one whose faith in the credibility of evidence is weakened or destroyed, so that religion, to the same extent, has no practical hold on his mind. An agnostic remains in a state of suspended judgment, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity.

In`fi*del"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Infidelities (&?;). [L. infidelitas: cf. F. infidélité.]

1. Want of faith or belief in some religious system; especially, a want of faith in, or disbelief of, the inspiration of the Scriptures, of the divine origin of Christianity.

There is, indeed, no doubt but that vanity is one of the principal causes of infidelity.

V. Knox.

2. Unfaithfulness to the marriage vow or contract; violation of the marriage covenant by adultery.

3. Breach of trust; unfaithfulness to a charge, or to moral obligation; treachery; deceit; as, the infidelity of a servant. "The infidelity of friends." Sir W. Temple.

In*field" (?), v. t. To inclose, as a field. [R.]

In"field` (?), n. 1. Arable and manured land kept continually under crop; -- distinguished from outfield. [Scotland] Jamieson.

2. (Baseball) The diamond; -- opposed to outfield. See Diamond, n., 5.

In*file" (?), v. t. To arrange in a file or rank; to place in order. [Obs.] Holland.

In*film" (?), v. t. To cover with a film; to coat thinly; as, to infilm one metal with another in the process of gilding; to infilm the glass of a mirror. [R.]

In*fil"ter (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Infiltered; p. pr. & vb. n. Infiltering.] [Cf. Infiltrate.] To filter or sift in.

In*fil"trate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Infiltrated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Infiltrating (?).] [Pref. in- + filtrate: cf. F, s'infiltrer. Cf. Infilter.] To enter by penetrating the pores or interstices of a substance; to filter into or through something.