INCENSE • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Incense

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/ɪnsˈɛns/ /ˈɪnsˌɛns/ Listen

noun

Incense n.

1.

The perfume or odors exhaled from spices and gums when burned in celebrating religious rites or as an offering to some deity. "A thick cloud of incense went up."

2.

The materials used for the purpose of producing a perfume when burned, as fragrant gums, spices, frankincense, etc. "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon."

3.

Also used figuratively. "Or heap the shrine of luxury and pride, With incense kindled at the Muse's flame."

Incense tree, the name of several balsamic trees of the genus Bursera (or Icica) mostly tropical American. The gum resin is used for incense. In Jamaica the Chrysobalanus Icaco, a tree related to the plums, is called incense tree.

Incense wood, the fragrant wood of the tropical American tree Bursera heptaphylla.

verb

Incense v. t. (past & past part. incensed; pres. part. incensing)

1.

To set on fire; to inflame; to kindle; to burn. (Obs.) "Twelve Trojan princes wait on thee, and labor to incense Thy glorious heap of funeral."

2.

To inflame with anger; to enrage; to endkindle; to fire; to incite; to provoke; to heat; to madden. "The people are incensed him."

Synonyms: To enrage; exasperate; provoke; anger; irritate; heat; fire; instigate.

Incense v. t. (past & past part. incensed; pres. part. incensing)

1.

To offer incense to. See Incense. (Obs.)

2.

To perfume with, or as with, incense. "Incensed with wanton sweets."

See images of 'Incense'

Etymology of 'Incense'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Incense" Quotes from Famous Books

... over to it, held it in his hands awhile, feeling its coolness, smelling the clammy slaver of the lather in which the brush was stuck. So I carried the boat of incense then at Clongowes. I am another now and yet the same. A servant too. A ...

— Ulysses • James Joyce

... snows will heap their drifts Among the leafless sage; The pallid hosts of the blizzard Will lift their voice in rage; The gentle rains of early spring Will woo the flowers to bloom, And scatter their fleeting incense O'er the border ...

— Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp • Various

... redeemed soul to God. There was the great candlestick, which proclaimed 'Ye are the light of the world.' There was the table on which the so-called shewbread was laid, and in the midst there was the altar of incense, on which, day by day, morning and evening, there was kindled the fragrant offering which curled up in wreaths of blue smoke aspiring towards the heavens. It lay smouldering all through the day, and was quickened into flame morning ...

— Expositions of Holy Scripture - Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. John • Alexander Maclaren

... ye serve no more Mine images of ivory and bronze With flute-led dances of the days of yore, But leave them to barbarian orisons Of dull hearth-loving hearts, mistaking me: Yet from mine incense ye shall not divorce Remembrance. Fools, these recantations be Ardours that prove you still idolators; And, though ye hurry through the circling hells Of bright ambition like hopes and energies, ...

— The Hours of Fiammetta - A Sonnet Sequence • Rachel Annand Taylor

... made. It would be impossible to enumerate half the crosses, circles, pentagrams, naked swords, cross-bones, chafing-dishes, and vials of incense which the sorcerer found to be necessary. The child was fortunately deemed superfluous. Euschemon was brought up from his dungeon, and, his teeth chattering with fright and cold, set beside his bell to hold a candle to the devil. The incantations ...

— The Twilight of the Gods, and Other Tales • Richard Garnett

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