v. [f. L. adumbrāt- ppl. stem of adumbrā-re to overshadow, to shade, to shadow out; f. ad to + umbrā-re to shade.]
† 1. To shade (a picture), to represent with due light and shade so as to complete what has been sketched or delineated. (So in L.) Obs.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (1871), 113. Whose resplendent laud and honour, to delineate and adumbrate to the ample life, were a work that would, etc.
2. To represent the shadow of (anything), to draw or figure in outline; to outline; to sketch; to give a faint indication of.
1641. French, Distillation, Ep. Ded. A iiij b. I crave leave to adumbrate something of that art which I know you will be willing … to promote.
1692. Bp. of Ely, Answ. Touchstone, 223. Which is not expressly prepounded … but adumbrated and obscurely indicated.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ix. 706. Its duties were very ill defined, or rather not defined at all, but only adumbrated.
3. fig. To represent a substance by its ‘shadow’ or emblem; to shadow forth, to typify; hence, to foreshadow, prefigure, as ‘coming events cast their shadows before.’
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 147. Abolished by the glorie of Christ, whose death and passion they [burnt offerings] did adumbrate.
1611. J. Guillim, Heraldrie, xxvi. 181. The Griffon … will neuer be taken aliue; wherein hee doth adumbrate or rather liuely set forth the propertie of a valorous Souldier.
1637. Gillespie, Eng. Pop. Cerem., I. viii. 28. All Rites … our Holy-dayes among the rest, serve onely to adumbrate and shadow foorth something.
1677. Gale, Crt. of Gentiles, I. II. vi. 72. Noah … is adumbrated to us, not only in Saturne, but also in Prometheus.
1872. H. Macmillan, True Vine, i. 32. What qualities in Christ are adumbrated by the vine?
4. To overshadow; to shade, obscure.
1670. G. H., trans. Hist. Cardinals, II. iii. 180. The lustre of his good qualities is in some measure adumbrated by certain defects.
1681. Trial of S. Colledge, 41. To adumbrate our Actions, for fear we should be discovered.
1835. Marryat, Jac. Faithf., v. 18. [He] was kneeling at the bedside, his nose adumbrating the coverlid of my bed.
1860. J. P. Kennedy, Horse Shoe R., v. 55. The building was adumbrated in the shelter of a huge willow.
