📖 I — The English dictionary · page 19

inference — Everyday, meaning 1: An idea or answer you work out from clues or facts, not from being told directly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The act of working something out from what you already know.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal, maths and science) A conclusion drawn from data or from a set of statements by careful reasoning.↗ Example: From the muddy boots, my inference was that Dad had been in the garden.↗ · Our teacher asked us to make an inference about why the boy was crying.↗ · The detective's inference was right: the thief had a key.↗ · You saw smoke, so the inference is that something is burning.↗ · It is only an inference, not a fact, so check it.↗ · The report draws an inference from the survey data (formal).↗ · By inference, the missing number must be bigger than ten.↗ · As al- ready demonstrated, the lirst alphabet invented was similar to that still used by the Berbers, whence the inference, that there may have been a time when the Hebrews also used such an alphabet.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

inferior — Everyday, meaning 1: Inferior means not as good as something else, or of poor quality.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Inferior means lower in rank or position.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An inferior is a person of lower rank than someone, such as a junior worker.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (science, anatomy) Inferior means lower down in the body: the inferior vena cava carries blood from the lower body.↗ Example: This plastic toy is inferior to the wooden one.↗ · Nobody should be treated as inferior because of their skin colour.↗ · The shop sold inferior shoes that fell apart in a week.↗ · He felt inferior next to his clever older sister.↗ · In the army an officer gives orders to inferiors.↗ · The copy was of inferior quality to the original painting.↗ · They were socially inferior to him.↗ · What ye know, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.↗ (Writings JOB.13.2, JPS 1917)↗ · But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?↗ (Writings JOB.12.3, JPS 1917)↗ · And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.↗ (Writings DAN.2.39, JPS 1917)↗

inferiority — Everyday, meaning 1: The inferiority of something is the state of being lower in rank, quality or skill than others, or feeling less good than them.↗ Example: He felt a sense of inferiority beside the older boys.↗ · The story shows the inferiority of the wicked brothers.↗ · The team lost because of their inferiority in speed.↗ · Some people wrongly think others have an inferiority.↗

infest — Everyday, meaning 1: To infest a place is to fill it with many pests or harmful creatures, so that they are a problem.↗ Example: Rats infested the old barn.↗ · The forest was infested with wolves.↗ · Robbers infested the mountain road.↗ · Fleas infested the dog's bed.↗

infestation — Everyday, meaning 1: A large number of insects, animals or pests living in a place where they are not wanted and causing harm.↗ Example: There is an infestation of head lice in Year 3.↗ · The barn had an infestation of rats.↗ · Aphid infestation ruined the roses.↗ · Pest control dealt with the ant infestation.↗ · A moth infestation made holes in the jumpers.↗ · Keep food covered to prevent an infestation.↗

infinite — Everyday, meaning 1: Infinite means without any end or limit; so big it can never be measured or counted.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Infinite means extremely great: «infinite patience».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (maths) An infinite set or line goes on for ever, like the counting numbers 1, 2, 3, ….↗ Example: There is an infinite number of counting numbers.↗ · The teacher has infinite patience.↗ · Is the universe infinite?↗ · A line is infinite, but a line segment has two ends.↗ · You can't count to infinity because numbers are infinite.↗ · The sky looked infinite from the mountain top.↗ · The choices in the game seemed infinite.↗ · Still this band of young bards would have been of infinite interest to Fionn, not on account of what they had learned, but because of what they knew.↗ · These ten Sephiroth which are ineffable, whose appearance is like scintillating flames, have no end but are infinite.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887)↗ · 11) As the infinite series of numbers starts from one unit, so was the whole Universe formed a unity, that centres in the Godhead.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗ · How infinite numbers of words are formed out of the (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.↗ (Writings PSA.147.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Ethiopia and Egypt were thy strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.↗ (Prophets NAM.3.9, JPS 1917)↗

infinitely — Everyday, meaning 1: Infinitely means without any limit or end, or by a very great amount.↗ Example: The sea seems infinitely big.↗ · I am infinitely grateful for your help.↗ · The sky stretches infinitely above us.↗ · This is infinitely better than yesterday.↗

infinitive — Everyday, meaning 1: (grammar) The basic form of a verb, often with to in front: to run, to be, to eat; the bare infinitive has no to: run, be, eat.↗ Example: To swim is an infinitive.↗ · I want to go home: to go is an infinitive.↗ · In French, aller is the infinitive meaning to go.↗ · A split infinitive puts a word between to and the verb: to boldly go.↗ · Can and must are followed by the bare infinitive: I can swim.↗ · Look up a verb in the dictionary by its infinitive.↗ · HVI is the imperative form of the verb to he, meaning he thou; HIV is the infinitive; and VIH is future.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

infinitude — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The state of having no end or limit, or something endless.↗ Example: The decade out of nothing has the following ten infinitudes: (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

infinity — Everyday, meaning 1: Infinity is the idea of something that has no end and goes on for ever, bigger than any number.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (maths) Infinity is shown by the symbol ∞; counting numbers go on to infinity.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An infinity of something is an extremely large or endless amount.↗ Example: The symbol for infinity is ∞, like a sideways eight.↗ · Numbers go on to infinity.↗ · There is no largest number because counting goes on to infinity.↗ · «To infinity and beyond!» shouted Buzz Lightyear.↗ · Two mirrors facing each other seem to show reflections going to infinity.↗ · The universe may stretch to infinity.↗ · There are an infinity of possible stories.↗ · of an infinity of combinations and arrangements, sufficient to (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · "Infinity is not the aflSrmation ol space but its disappearance" (H. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · But according to the author of the Sefer Yetzira and the P}'thagoreans even infinity (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

infirm — Everyday, meaning 1: Infirm means weak in body, often because of old age or illness.↗ Example: My grandad is infirm now and walks with a stick.↗ · The old king was too infirm to ride.↗ · The sailors were infirm and sickly.↗ · Many infirm people need help to cross the road.↗

infirmity — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) An infirmity is a physical or mental weakness or illness, especially one that comes with old age.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Infirmity is the state of being weak or ill for a long time.↗ Example: Grandad never complained about the infirmities of old age.↗ · The old king's infirmity meant his son ruled for him.↗ · The hospital was built for the sick and those in infirmity.↗ · Despite her infirmity, she walked to church every Sunday.↗ · In the Bible, Jesus is described as healing many infirmities.↗ · The almshouse was for poor people who could no longer work because of infirmity.↗ · Who else would have borne with my infirmities as thou hast!↗ · The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?↗ (Writings PRO.18.14, JPS 1917)↗

inflame — Everyday, meaning 1: To inflame feelings means to make people angrier or more excited.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (medicine) When a body part is inflamed, it becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, often from infection or injury.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (old) To inflame can mean to set on fire.↗ Example: His rude words inflamed the argument.↗ · The splinter made my finger inflamed and sore.↗ · Her throat was inflamed with tonsillitis.↗ · The news inflamed the angry crowd.↗ · Scratching the bite will only inflame it.↗ · The referee's decision inflamed the fans.↗ · Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths, under every leafy tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?↗ (Prophets ISA.57.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!↗ (Prophets ISA.5.11, JPS 1917)↗

inflamed — Everyday, meaning 1: (body) Red, swollen, hot and sore, usually because of an injury or infection.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (feelings) Made much angrier or more excited: an inflamed crowd.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) Made a bad situation worse: his words inflamed the argument.↗ Example: My throat was red and inflamed, so I stayed home.↗ · The cut became inflamed, so we went to the doctor.↗ · Her eyes were inflamed from hay fever.↗ · The rude comment inflamed the argument.↗ · The speech inflamed the angry crowd.↗ · An inflamed appendix may need an operation.↗ · Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot.↗ · He rose up in spirit, He inflamed him in. seven suitable forms with twelve signs."↗ Mayer gives : " Er zog sie mit Wasser, Zundet sie an mit Feuer; erregte sie mit (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

inflammation — Everyday, meaning 1: Inflammation is when part of the body becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, usually because it is hurt or fighting an infection.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Inflammation is the body's own defence reaction that brings extra blood and helper cells to a damaged place.↗ Example: My sprained ankle showed inflammation, so I put ice on it.↗ · Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils.↗ · Redness and swelling are signs of inflammation.↗ · The doctor gave her medicine to reduce the inflammation.↗ · Inflammation is the body's way of protecting itself.↗ · A bee sting causes inflammation around the spot.↗ · But one of the tree’s prickles pierced his finger and caused great pain and inflammation, so that the young Prince fell down in a fainting fit.↗ · The LORD will smite thee with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with drought, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.↗ (Torah DEU.28.22, JPS 1917)↗

inflatable — Everyday, meaning 1: Able to be filled with air or gas to make it bigger: «an inflatable boat».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A thing filled with air, like a bouncy castle, a rubber ring or a paddling pool.↗ Example: We played on an inflatable castle at the party.↗ · Dad blew up the inflatable paddling pool.↗ · Never use inflatables in the sea on windy days.↗ · The inflatable boat has a small hole in it.↗ · We slept on an inflatable mattress at the camp.↗ · The inflatable dinosaur was taller than the house!↗

inflated — Everyday, meaning 1: Filled with air or gas, so that it gets bigger: an inflated balloon.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Made bigger, higher or more important than is true or fair: inflated prices, an inflated ego.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (money) Inflated prices have gone up because of inflation.↗ Example: We inflated the paddling pool with a pump.↗ · The tyres must be properly inflated.↗ · Tickets were sold at inflated prices.↗ · He has an inflated idea of how good he is.↗ · The lifejacket inflated when it touched the water.↗ · Prices are inflated near the beach in summer.↗

inflation — Everyday, meaning 1: A rise in prices over time, so the same money buys less.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Filling something with air or gas so it gets bigger, like a balloon or a tyre.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Making something seem bigger or more important than it is (an inflation of the truth).↗ Example: Because of inflation, a loaf of bread costs more than it used to.↗ · Gran says her pocket money bought much more before inflation.↗ · The rate of inflation is 2 percent this year.↗ · Check the inflation of the bike tyres before you ride.↗ · The inflation of the bouncy castle took five minutes.↗ · Wages that do not keep up with inflation buy less each year.↗ · If inflation is 10%, something that cost 50 pounds now costs 55 pounds.↗

inflected — Everyday, meaning 1: (grammar) Changed in form to show grammar, such as tense, number or person: «walked» is an inflected form of «walk».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (grammar) Describing a language that changes word endings a lot, like Latin, German or Ukrainian.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (voice) Changed in pitch, as a voice that goes up at the end of a question.↗ Example: «Ran» is an inflected form of «run».↗ · Latin is a highly inflected language with many word endings.↗ · «Cats» is the inflected plural of «cat».↗ · English is less inflected than German.↗ · Her voice inflected upward at the end of the question.↗ · In a dictionary, inflected forms are listed with the main word.↗

inflection — Everyday, meaning 1: (grammar) A change in the form of a word, usually its ending, to show tense, number, person and so on: «-s», «-ed», «-ing», «-er», «-est».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The rise and fall of the voice when speaking: the inflection of a question.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (maths) A point of inflection is where a curve changes the way it bends.↗ Example: The «-ed» inflection shows that an action happened in the past.↗ · Add the plural inflection «-s» to «dog» to get «dogs».↗ · Her voice had a rising inflection, so I knew it was a question.↗ · Read your poem with more inflection so it isn't boring.↗ · English has fewer inflections than Latin.↗ · The curve has a point of inflection in the middle.↗