penetrant

& s. [Fr., pr. par. of pénétrer= to penetrate (q. v.); Ital. & Sp. penetrante; Latin pene trans.] A. As adj .: Having the power or quality of penetrating or piercing; penetrating, penetrative, sharp, subtle, sagacious. "What a wisdom must that be, how unconceivably large and penetrant ." -Barrow: Sermons, vol. ii., ser. 12. B. As subst.: A far-sighted person. ( North : Ex amen , p. 121.) pěně-trāte, v . t . & i. [Lat. pene trat us , pa. par. of penetro , from the same root as penes =with, penitus =within; Fr. pénétrer ; Sp. penetrar ; Ital. penetrare. Putten ham, in 1589, ranked this word among those of recent introduction into the language.] A. Transitive : 1. To enter, to pierce; to pa or make way into the interior of. 2. To pa into by the mind or senses, so as to affect; to make fully sensible; to move or affect the feelings of. "Penetrated with pity for the lot of women." - Victoria Magazine , Nov. 1866, p. 5. marine; gō, põt, penetrating 3. To pierce or reach by the mind; to understand, to discover; to find out the inner or hidden meaning, force, or nature of. "To share between themselves some separate fate, Whose darkne none beside could penetrate." Byron: Lara, ii. 18. B. Intransitive: 1. To enter into or pierce anything; to make way, to pa . "The sweet of life that penetrates so near." Daniel: Complaint of Rosamond. 2. To see into or understand things fully; to discover the meaning or intent of anything; to see through anything. "The world may search in vain with all their eyes, But never penetrate through this disguise." Dryden: Palamon and Arcite , i. 567. pěn-ě-trāt-lig, pr . par . & a. [PENETRATE.] A. As pr . par .: (See the verb.) B. As adjective: 1. Having the power or quality of entering into or piercing other substances; penetrative, sharp, piercing, subtle. 2. Sharp, acute, sagacious, discerning, far-seeing. (Scott: Lord of the Isles , iv. 25.) pěně-trāt-ing-ly, adv. [English penetrating; -ly. In a penetrating or piercing manner; piercingly, sharply, acutely.