Part 259

2. A change effected by innovating; a change in customs; something new, and contrary to established customs, manners, or rites. Bacon.

The love of things ancient doth argue stayedness, but levity and want of experience maketh apt unto innovations.

Hooker.

3. (Bot.) A newly formed shoot, or the annually produced addition to the stems of many mosses.

In`no*va"tion*ist, n. One who favors innovation.

In"no*va*tive (?), a. Characterized by, or introducing, innovations. Fitzed. Hall.

In"no*va`tor (?), n. [Cf. F. innovateur.] One who innovates. Shak.

In*nox"ious (?), a. [L. innoxius. See In- not, and Noxious.] 1. Free from hurtful qualities or effects; harmless. "Innoxious flames." Sir K. Digby.

2. Free from crime; pure; innocent. Pope.

-- In*nox`ious*ly, adv. -- In*nox"ious*ness, n.

In*nu"bi*lous (?), a. [L. innubilus. See Nubilous.] Cloudless. [Obs.] Blount.

In`nu*en"do (?), n.; pl. Innuedoes(&?;). [L., by intimation, by hinting, gerund of innuere, innutum, to give a nod, to intimate; pref. in- in, to + -nuere (in comp.) to nod. See Nutation.] 1. An oblique hint; a remote allusion or reference, usually derogatory to a person or thing not named; an insinuation.

Mercury . . . owns it a marriage by an innuendo.

Dryden.

Pursue your trade of scandal picking; Your innuendoes, when you tell us, That Stella loves to talk with fellows.

Swift.

2. (Law) An averment employed in pleading, to point the application of matter otherwise unintelligible; an interpretative parenthesis thrown into quoted matter to explain an obscure word or words; -- as, the plaintiff avers that the defendant said that he (innuendo the plaintiff) was a thief. Wharton.

The term is so applied from having been the introductory word of this averment or parenthetic explanation when pleadings were in Latin. The word "meaning" is used as its equivalent in modern forms.

Syn. -- Insinuation; suggestion; hint; intimation; reference; allusion; implication; representation; -- Innuendo, Insinuation. An innuendo is an equivocal allusion so framed as to point distinctly at something which is injurious to the character or reputation of the person referred to. An insinuation turns on no such double use of language, but consists in artfully winding into the mind imputations of an injurious nature without making any direct charge.

In"nu*ent (?), a. [L. innuens, p. pr.] Conveying a hint; significant. [Obs.] Burton.

In"nu*it, n. [Native name.] (Ethnol.) An Eskimo.

In*nu`mer*a*bil"i*ty (?), n. [L. innumerabilitas.] State of being innumerable. Fotherby.

In*nu`mer*a*ble (?), a. [L. innumerabilis : cf. F. innumefable. See In- not, and Numerable.] Not capable of being counted, enumerated, or numbered, for multitude; countless; numberless; unnumbered, hence, indefinitely numerous; of great number.

Innumerable as the stars of night.

Milton.

-- In*nu"mer*a*ble*ness, n. -- In*nu"mer*a*bly, adv.

In*nu"mer*ous (?), a. [L. innumerosus, innumerus. See Numerous.] Innumerable. [Archaic] Milton.

In`nu*tri"tion (?), n. Want of nutrition; failure of nourishment. E. Darwin.