amplect

Verb

amplect (third-person singular simple present amplects, present participle amplecting, simple past and past participle amplected)

1. (archaic) To embrace.
   • It is a junceous and gramineous Plant, whoſe ſmall, dry, hard and nodous root emits hard, ſtraggling, round, full, not concave, and clear reeds, gracile towards the top, whoſe rigid, mucronated, and pale leaves of half a palms length, amplect its gramineous ſurcles.1657, Jean de Renou, A Medicinal Dispensatory, page 284
   • We have learned of these your words, that to do truly penance is not only to abstain from sin, but also to amplect and embrace the virtue contrary to the sin.1843, Thomas Becon, The early works of Thomas Becon, page 92
2. (rare) To grasp (the mating partner) with front legs, so as to engage in amplexus.
   • To name just several, male toads (Bufo bufo) sometimes amplect other males, female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) mount one another and engage in genital contact, and male flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) will mount and attempt to deposit sperm on other males.2013, David A. Baum, Douglas J. Futuyma, Hopi E. Hoekstra, The Princeton Guide to Evolution, →ISBN, page 716

   Synonyms:

   amplex