† emaculatev.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To free from spots or blemishes, emend.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > literary and textual criticism > textual criticism > practise textual criticism [verb (transitive)] > emend
amend?c1225
correctc1374
reformc1425
emaculate1623
mend1631–2
castigate1666
rectify1730
emend1769
doctor?c1775
redress1796
emendate1876
1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. Emaculate, to make cleane, to take out spots.
a1656 J. Hales Golden Remains (1673) i. 273 Lipsius..and others, have taken great pains with him in emaculating the Text.
1721–1800 in N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. : and in mod. Dicts.
2. To efface (a spot). figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by rubbing > mark, stain, etc.
laga1300
to take out1560
emaculatea1648
spot1915
a1648 Ld. Herbert Life (1976) 24 By a serious Repentance to expiate and emaculate those faults.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online September 2020).
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