Part 216

Not till the weight is heaved from off the air, and the thunders roll down the horizon, will the serene light of God flow upon us, and the blue infinite embrace us again.

J. Martineau.

2. (Math.) An infinite quantity or magnitude.

3. An infinity; an incalculable or very great number.

Glittering chains, embroidered richly o'er With infinite of pearls and finest gold.

Fanshawe.

4. The Infinite Being; God; the Almighty.

In"fi*nite*ly, adv. 1. Without bounds or limits; beyond or below assignable limits; as, an infinitely large or infinitely small quantity.

2. Very; exceedingly; vastly; highly; extremely. "Infinitely pleased." Dryden.

In"fi*nite*ness, n. The state or quality of being infinite; infinity; greatness; immensity. Jer. Taylor.

In`fin*i*tes"i*mal (?), a. [Cf. F. infinitésimal, fr. infinitésime infinitely small, fr. L. infinitus. See Infinite, a.] Infinitely or indefinitely small; less than any assignable quantity or value; very small.

Infinitesimal calculus, the different and the integral calculus, when developed according to the method used by Leibnitz, who regarded the increments given to variables as infinitesimal.

In`fin*i*tes"i*mal, n. (Math.) An infinitely small quantity; that which is less than any assignable quantity.

In`fin*i*tes"i*mal*ly, adv. By infinitesimals; in infinitely small quantities; in an infinitesimal degree.

In*fin`i*ti"val (?), a. Pertaining to the infinite mood. "Infinitival stems." Fitzed. Hall.

In*fin"i*tive (?), n. [L. infinitivus: cf. F. infinitif. See Infinite.] Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined.

Infinitive mood (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely names the action, and performs the office of a verbal noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: (a) The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear. (b) The form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in -ing; as, going is as easy as standing.

With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could, would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare, do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go; you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc.

In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly employed in expressing purpose. See Gerund, 2.

The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was confounded with the present participle in -ende, or -inde (later - inge).

In*fin"i*tive, n. (Gram.) An infinitive form of the verb; a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood.

In*fin"i*tive, adv. (Gram.) In the manner of an infinitive mood.

||In`fi*ni"to (?), a. [It.] (Mus.) Infinite; perpetual, as a canon ||whose end leads back to the beginning. See Infinite, a., 5. || In*fin"i*tude (?), n. 1. The quality or state of being infinite, or without limits; infiniteness.

2. Infinite extent; unlimited space; immensity; infinity. "I am who fill infinitude." Milton.

As pleasing to the fancy, as speculations of eternity or infinitude are to the understanding.

Addison.

3. Boundless number; countless multitude. "An infinitude of distinctions." Addison.

In*fin"i*tu`ple (?), a. [Cf. Quadruple.] Multiplied an infinite number of times. [R.] Wollaston.