Definition of "irradiate"

irradiate

/ɪˈɹeɪdieɪt/

verb
third-person singular simple present irradiates, present participle irradiating, simple past and past participle irradiated
1. (transitive, literary, poetic) To illuminate; to brighten; to shine light on.
  Quotations
  Thy smile irradiates yon blue fields.
  c. late 18th century Sir W. Jones, Hymn to Lachsmi
  Oh Thou, whose Spirit through this universe / In which Thou dost involve thyself diffused, / Shall so perchance irradiate human clay / That men, suddenly dazzled, lose themselves / In ecstacy[sic – meaning ecstasy] before a mortal shrine / Whose Light is but a Shade of the Divine; […]
  1879, Jami, “Sáláman and Absál. Preliminary Invocation.”, in , page 51
2. (transitive, literary, poetic) To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate.
  Quotations
  And indeed we ought, in these happy intervals, when our understandings are thus irradiated and enlightened, to make a judgment of the state and condition of our souls in the sight of God […]
  a. 1740, Bishop George Bull, A discourse concerning the spirit of God in the faithful
  Nevertheless, she seemed to him so new to life, so truly a child—a reason, doubtless, more urgent to uphold and lend her his protection: the ray of humanity irradiating her features—the exclamation that burst from her, upon his first arousing from the torpor of insensibility, whilst extended in his narrow hammock on ship-board, had ever since left impressions of gratitude on his memory.
  1838, [Letitia Elizabeth] Landon (indicated as editor), chapter XVI, in Duty and Inclination: […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 227
3. (transitive, literary, poetic) To animate by heat or light.
  Quotations
  you may subdue and conquer the temperament of your nature, to do all things well-pleasing to him, and that may irradiate and strengthen your souls
  a. 1676 (written, first published in 1817) , Matthew Hale, A letter of advice to his grandchildren, Matthew, Gabriel, Anne, Mary, and Frances Hale.
4. (transitive, literary, poetic) To radiate, shed, or diffuse.
  Quotations
  [H]is ideal of grandeur was a splendid façade, diffusing its brilliancy outward too, irradiating hospitality.
  1876–1877, Henry James, Jr., chapter III, in The American, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, […], published 5 May 1877, pages 56–57
5. (transitive, literary, poetic) To decorate with shining ornaments.
6. (intransitive) To emit rays; to shine.
7. (sciences) To apply radiation to.
  1. (medicine) To treat (a tumour or cancerous growth) with radiation.
  2. (transitive) To treat (food) with ionizing radiation in order to destroy bacteria.
adjective
1. Illuminated; irradiated; made brilliant or splendid.
  Quotations
  The co-existent FlameKnew the Destroyer; it encircled him,Roll’d up his robe, and gathered round his head,Condensing to intenser splendour there,His Crown of Glory, and his Light of Life,Hovered the irradiate wreath.
  1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […]

Definition of "irradiate"

irradiate

verb

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adjective

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