INCENSE • DICCIONARIO INGLES.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

... against "Frenzied Finance" I expected attack. Reforms are not matured to accompaniments of incense and rose-water, and I had made up my mind to disregard the mud and its slingers. Afterward, if there were any "System" left, I rather looked forward to smothering it beneath the foulness of its own generating. There came a time during the year, however, when ...

— Frenzied Finance - Vol. 1: The Crime of Amalgamated • Thomas W. Lawson

... coffee strong enough to tan leather, then came a brier-wood pipeful of fragrant kinnikinnic, and a seat by the ruddy, sparkling fire of aromatic cedar logs, that diffused at once warmth, and spicy, pleasing incense. A chat over the events of the day, and the prospect of the morrow, the wonderful merits of each man's horse, and the disgusting irregularities of the mails from home, lasted until the silver-voiced bugle rang out the sweet, mournful tattoo of ...

— Andersonville, complete • John McElroy

... a thrill, like that which the thought of Paris and its heroisms moves in the great poet of France, or sight of the dear city of the Violet Crown moved in an Athenian of old. Thus habitually, with all sincerity of heart, to offer to one of the greater popular prepossessions the incense due to any other idol of superstition, sacred and of indisputable authority, and to let this adoration be seen shining in every page, is one of the keys that every man must find, who would make a quick and sure way into the temple ...

— Critical Miscellanies, Volume I (of 3) - Essay 4: Macaulay • John Morley

... triumphs awaited them. There were a few exceptions, chief among them being Vienna, the city where Mozart struggled so long in vain, and where Gluck was unable to produce more than a passing impression by his great operatic reforms. But nearly all the places they visited offered admiration and incense to the faithful pair of artists. Through Schumann's genius, that of his wife was influenced, and Clara Schumann became far greater than Clara Wieck had ever been. She became a true priestess of art. She ...

— Woman's Work in Music • Arthur Elson

... least, there is no reminder of the scene of the Nativity in this close and stifling chapel, hung with costly silks and embroideries, glittering with rich lamps, filled with the smoke of incense and waxen tapers. And to the heart there is little suggestion of the lonely night when Joseph found a humble refuge here for his young bride to wait in darkness, pain and hope for her ...

— Out-of-Doors in the Holy Land - Impressions of Travel in Body and Spirit • Henry Van Dyke

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