endue

American  

[en-doo, -dyoo] / ɛnˈdu, -ˈdyu /

Also indue

verb (used with object)

endued, enduing

1. to invest or endow with some gift, quality, or faculty.

2. to put on; assume.

   Hamlet endued the character of a madman.

3. to clothe.

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endue British  

/ ɪnˈdjuː /

verb

1. (usually foll by with) to invest or provide, as with some quality or trait

2. rare (foll by with) to clothe or dress (in)

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Other Word Forms

• unendued adjective

Etymology

Origin of endue

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English endewen “to induct, initiate,” from Anglo-French, Old French enduire, from Latin indūcere “to lead in, cover, induce”; induce

Explanation

You probably hope that your years of ballet classes will endue you with the ability to dance like Baryshnikov. In other words, you're dreaming that all of those arabesques and pirouettes will provide you with the dancing talent you wish for. Endue is a fancy literary term that shows up most often in formal writing, but you could impress someone by using it to mean "endow," "invest," or "empower." Less often, endue is used to mean "to put clothes on," or "dress," which makes sense when you know that endue comes from the Latin word induere, or "to put on."

Example Sentences

Nourish me, and endue me, I am only of you, I am your issue.

From Look! We Have Come Through! by Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert)

That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understanding, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

From The Book of Common Prayer and The Scottish Liturgy by Episcopal Church in Scotland

Surely God did not endue us with the power of hoping that we might fling it all away on trivial, transient things.

From Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. John by Maclaren, Alexander

The Hall of Cynddylan is gloomy this night, Without fire, without candle— Except God doth, who will endue me with patience?

From Trevethlan (Vol 3 of 3) A Cornish Story. by Watson, William Davy

It has pleased God to endue Indians with quick perceptions.

From History, Manners, and Customs of the North American Indians by Summers, Thomas O. (Thomas Osmond)