emboss

English
WOTD – 17 October 2023

Pronunciation

Etymology 1
PIE word
*h₁én
A sign embossed (sense 2) in braille at a bus stop in Colombia.

The verb is derived from Late Middle English embossen, embosen, embocen (“to be bloated; to bulge; to cause to bulge; to ornament in relief, emboss”) [and other forms],[1] from Old French embocer (modern French embosser),[2] from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boce (“swelling”)[3] (from Vulgar Latin *bottia (“a bump”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *bautan (“to beat”), from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to beat; to bump, knock; to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- (“to hit, strike”)) + -er (suffix forming verbs). The English word is analysable as em- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) +‎ boss (“bump, lump, protuberance”).

The noun is derived from the verb.[4]

Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed) (transitive)

  1. To cause (something) to stick out or swell; to extrude; also, to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings.
    • 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas], “[Du Bartas His First VVeek, or Birth of the VVorld: […].] The Third Daie of the First VVeek.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 73:
      VVhen God, vvhoſe vvords more in a moment can, / Then in an Age the proudeſt ſtrength of Man, / Had ſeuered the Floods, leuell'd the Fields, / Embas't the Valleys, and emboſt the Hils; […]
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1070–1071:
      His Cattel muſt of Rot and Murren die, / Botches and blaines muſt all his fleſh imboſs, / And all his people; […]
    • 1814, Robert Southey, “Canto XXI”, in Roderick, the Last of the Goths, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co. […], →OCLC, page 256:
      An oak grew near, and with its ample boughs / O'ercanopied the spring; its fretted roots / Emboss'd the bank, and on their tufted bark / Grew plants which love the moisture and the shade.
  2. To make (a design on a coin, an ornament on an object, etc.) stand out from a surface.
  3. To represent (a subject) on an object in relief; also, of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief.
    • 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas], “[Du Bartas His Second VVeeke, […].Adam. […].] The Handi-crafts. The IIII. Part of the I. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 279:
      [R]ich embroideries by rare Art emboſt: […]
    • 1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, pages 362–363, lines 21–26:
      To the Cumæan Coaſt at length he came; / And, here alighting, built this coſtly Frame. / Inſcrib'd to Phœbus, here he hung on high / The ſteerage of his VVings, that cut the Sky: / Then o're the lofty Gate his Art emboſs'd / Androgeos Death, and Off'rings to his Ghoſt.
    • 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, “Review of the Political and Intellectual Condition of the Spanish Arabs previous to the War of Granada”, in History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: American Stationers’ Company; John B. Russell, →OCLC, 1st part (1406–1492), page 279:
      Most of its [the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba's] ancient glories have indeed long since departed. The rich bronze which embossed its gates, the myriads of lamps which illuminated its aisles, have disappeared; […]
  4. To decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief.
    The papers weren’t official until the seal had been embossed on them.
  5. To decorate (something) with bosses (“ornamental convex protuberances”); to boss; hence, to decorate (something) richly.
  6. (figurative)
    1. To cause (something) to be prominent or stand out.
    2. (obsolete) To make (speech, etc.) unduly bombastic or grand.
Alternative forms
Derived terms
Translations
to cause (something) to stick out or swell — see extrude

Noun

emboss (plural embosses)

  1. (obsolete, rare) Synonym of boss (“a knob or projection”)
    • 1644 November 27 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 17 November 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, pages 107–108:
      In this [the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City] is a fountaine out of which gushes a river rather than a streeme, which ascending a good height breakes upon a round embosse of marble into millions of pearles that fall into the subjacent basons with greate noise; I esteem this one of the goodliest fountaines I ever saw.

Etymology 2

From Middle English embosen, embose, enbose (“of game: to become exhausted from hunting”),[5] possibly from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’))[6] + Old French bos, bois (“woodland, woods”) (modern French bois)[7] (from Late Latin boscus, Medieval Latin boscus (“woodlands, woods”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *busk (“bush, thicket”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, thicket”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear; to be; to become; to grow”)). Doublet of imbosk (“to conceal or hide (not necessarily in a forest or wood)”).

Sense 2 (“to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth”) is probably influenced by emboss (“to decorate (something) with bosses”; etymology 1, sense 5), likening the flecks of foam to decorative bosses.[7]

Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) Of a hunted animal: to take shelter in a forest or wood.
  2. (by extension, transitive, chiefly passive voice, obsolete) To drive (a hunted animal) to exhaustion by chasing it; to exhaust; hence, to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth due to exhaustion from being chased.
    • 1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 410, lines 22–25:
      Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres, / Ensowkid with sylt of the myry mose, / Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres, / Ran on the raunge so longe, […]
    • 1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Certaine Observations and Subtleties to be Used by Huntsmen in Hunting an Hart at Force”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 118:
      And if hee [a hart] ſhould runne into any of thoſe two windes, it would quickly enter his throate when he is emboſt and beginneth to be ſpent, & would drie his throat & his tong ſore, and woud altarand chafe him much with the vehement heat thereof.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 17, page 581:
      In her right hand a firebrand ſhee did toſſe / About her head, ſtill roming here and there; / As a diſmayed Deare in chace emboſt, / Forgetfull of his ſafety, hath his right vvay loſt.
    • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Crueltie”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, pages 249–250:
      And as it commonly happneth, that when the Stagge begins to be emboſt, and findes his ſtrength to faile-him, having no other remedie left him, doth yeelde and bequeath himſelfe vnto vs that purſue him, with tears ſuing to vs for mercie […].
    • 1605, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Matilda”, in Poems: […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, […], published 1613, →OCLC, signature Gg2, verso:
      VVhen like a Deere before the hounds imboſte, / VVhen him his ſtrength beginneth to forſake, / […] / Thus ſtill I ſhift me from the Princes face, / VVhich hath me novv continually in chaſe.
    • 1615, G[ervase] M[arkham], “[The Husbandmans Recreations: […].] Of Hunting, and of All the Particular Knowledges Belonging therunto.”, in Countrey Contentments, in Two Bookes: The First, Containing the Whole Art of Riding Great Horses in Very Short Time, […] The Second Intituled, The English Huswife: […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for R[oger] Iackson, […], →OCLC, 1st section ([Of Hunting]), page 31:
      [I]t is the nature of a Deare vvhen he is once imboſt, or vvearie, to ſeeke vvhere he may find another Deare, and to beate him vp and lay himſelfe dovvne in his place.
      An adjective use.
    • 1651, William D’avenant [i.e., William Davenant], “The First Book. Canto the Second.”, in Gondibert: An Heroick Poem, London: […] [Thomas Newcomb?] for John Holden, […], →OCLC, stanza 49, page 20:
      For on the Shore the Hunters him [a stag] attend; / And vvhilſt the Chace grevv vvarm as is the day / (VVhich novv from the hot Zenith does deſcend) / He is imbos'd, and vveary'd to a Bay.
    • 1679 (first performance), Thomas Otway, The History and Fall of Caius Marius. A Tragedy. […], London: […] R. Bentley […], published 1696, →OCLC, Act IV, scene [ii], page 45:
      VVas ever Lion thus by Dogs emboſs'd?
  3. (by extension from sense 2)
    1. (transitive, archaic) To cause (an animal's body, a person's mouth, etc.) to be covered with foam.
    2. (transitive, obsolete) To cause (someone, their heart or soul, etc.) to become extremely fatigued; to exhaust.
      • 1602, William Warner, “The Seventh Booke. Chapter XXVI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 175:
        But ſee, ah ſee, I ſee hovv Loue caſts off Deſire his Hound, / A fell fleet Dogge, that hunts my Heart by parſee each-vvheare found. / Svveet Cynthea rate the eger Curre, and ſo thy foe preuent, / For, loe, a farre my chaſed Heart imboſte and almoſt ſpent.
      • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi], page 244, column 2:
        [W]e haue almoſt imboſt him, you ſhall ſee his fall to night; for indeede he is not for your Lordſhippes reſpect.
        [W]e have almost exhausted him; you shall see his fall tonight, for indeed he is not worthy of your Lordship's respect.
      • 1624, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Iob Militant. Meditat[ion] 19.”, in Divine Poems: […], revised edition, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for I[ohn] Marriot, […], published 1634, →OCLC, page 264:
        Great God! my Time's but ſhort, and long my vvay, / My heart hath loſt her Path, and gone aſtray, / My ſpirit's faint, and fraile, my ſoule's imboſt, / If thou helpe not, I am for ever loſt; […]
    3. (intransitive, obsolete) Of a person: to foam at the mouth; also (figurative), to be furious, to rage.
Alternative forms
Translations

Etymology 3

Possibly:[8]

  • from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boss (“(small) cask; leather bottle for holding wine”) (Scotland, obsolete);[9] or
  • borrowed from Spanish embozarse, from embozar (“to cloak, hide; to turn up; to wrap up”) + se (“oneself; yourself; himself; herself; etc.”). Embozar is derived from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + bozo (“mouth; muzzle; halter for horses”) (from Medieval Latin *buccēus (“belonging or relating to the mouth”), from Latin bucca (“mouth”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Germanic *pukô (“bag, pouch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew-, *bʰew- (“to blow; to inflate, swell”)) + -ar (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs).

The word was possibly coined by the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552 or 1553 – 1599) in his work The Faerie Queene (1590–1596):[8] see the quotations.

Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed) (transitive, obsolete)

  1. To enclose or suit (a person) in armour.
  2. (figurative) To enclose or surround (someone or something).
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 19, page 160:
      The knight his thrillant ſpeare again aſſayd / In his bras-plated body to emboſſe, […]
      Referring to a spear being thrust into a person, and so enclosed by his body.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 64, page 409:
      None of them raſhly durſt to her approch, / Ne in ſo glorious ſpoile themſelues emboſſe, / Her ſuccourd eke the Champion of the bloody Croſſe.
    • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 40, page 410:
      And there all night himſelfe in anguiſh toſt, / Vovving, that neuer he in bed againe / His limbes vvould reſt, ne lig in eaſe emboſt, / Till that his Ladies ſight he more attaine, / Or vnderſtand, that ſhe in ſafetie did remaine.
    • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Loue of Learning, or Overmuch Study. With a Digression of the Misery of Schollers, and why the Muses are Melancholy.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 15, page 155:
      A Merchants gaine is great that goes to Sea, / A Souldier emboſſed all in gold: / A Flatterer lies fox'd in braue array, / A Scholler only ragged to behold.
      Translating a Latin text by Petronius: “Qui pugnas & rostra petit, præcingitur auro” (literally “He who seeks battles and rostrums [i.e., a political role], is surrounded by gold”).

References
  1. “embō̆cen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. “emboss, v.1”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
  3. “emboss, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  4. “† emboss, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, September 2023.
  5. “embōsen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  6. “em-, pref.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  7. “emboss, v.2”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
  8. “emboss, v.3”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, September 2023.
  9. “† boss, n.3”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023.

Further reading

Anagrams
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