innoculate

Verb

inoculate (third-person singular simple present inoculates, present participle inoculating, simple past and past participle inoculated)

1. (transitive) To introduce an antigenic substance or vaccine into something (e.g. the body) or someone, such as to produce immunity to a specific disease.
   • But you would not willingly thus give up the Cause; therefore endeavour to draw others into your Assistance, and venture to assert, that by the Account Dr. Nettleton gives, as also by the best Observation upon those who have been Inoculated in this City, scarcely a fourth part of them have had a...1722, John Crawford, The Case of Inoculating the Small-pox Consider'd: And Its Advantages Asserted; in a Review of Dr. Wagstaffe's Letter. Wherein Every Thing that Author Has Advanced Against It, is...

   Synonyms:

   immunize, vaccinate, vaccine

2. (broadly, transitive) To safeguard or protect something as if by inoculation.
   • Her upbringing overseas inoculated her against prejudice.
3. (transitive) To add one substance to another.
   • The culture medium was inoculated with selenium to investigate the rate of uptake.

   Synonyms:

   spike

4. (transitive) To graft by inserting buds.
   • to inoculate the bud of one tree or plant into another
5. (figuratively, transitive) To introduce into the mind (used especially of harmful ideas or principles).
   • to inoculate someone with treason or infidelity

   Synonyms:

   imbue, implant

See all 6 meanings of inoculate