instill (redirected from instills)

in·still also in·stil  (n-stl)

tr.v. in·stilled, in·still·ing, in·stills also in·stils

1. To introduce by gradual, persistent efforts; implant: "Morality . . . may be instilled into their minds" Thomas Jefferson.

2. To pour in (medicine, for example) drop by drop.

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[Middle English instillen, from Latin nstllre : in-, into; see in-² + stllre, to drip, drop (from stlla, drop).]

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instil·lation (nst-lshn) n.

in·stiller n.

in·stillment n.

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	instill - impart gradually; "Her presence instilled faith into the children"; "transfuse love of music into the students" transfuse contribute, lend, impart, add, bestow, bring - bestow a quality on; "Her presence lends a certain cachet to the company"; "The music added a lot to the play"; "She brings a special atmosphere to our meetings"; "This adds a light note to the program" breathe - impart as if by breathing; "He breathed new life into the old house"
	2.	instill - enter drop by drop; "instill medication into my eye" instil infix, insert, introduce, enter - put or introduce into something; "insert a picture into the text"
	3.	instill - produce or try to produce a vivid impression of; "Mother tried to ingrain respect for our elders in us" ingrain, impress impress, strike, affect, move - have an emotional or cognitive impact upon; "This child impressed me as unusually mature"; "This behavior struck me as odd"
	4.	instill - teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions; "inculcate values into the young generation" inculcate, infuse drill - teach by repetition din - instill (into a person) by constant repetition; "he dinned the lessons into his students"
	5.	instill - fill, as with a certain quality; "The heavy traffic tinctures the air with carbon monoxide" impregnate, tincture, infuse fill, fill up, make full - make full, also in a metaphorical sense; "fill a container"; "fill the child with pride"