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Webster 1913 Edition


Percolate

Per′co-late

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Percolated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Percolating
.]
[L.
percolatus
, p. p. of
percolare
to percolate;
per
through +
colare
to strain.]
To cause to pass through fine interstices, as a liquor; to filter; to strain.
Sir M. Hale.

Per′co-late

,
Verb.
I.
To pass through fine interstices; to filter;
as, water
percolates
through porous stone
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Percolate

PER'COLATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. percolo; per and colo, to strain.] To strain through; to cause to pass through small interstices, as a liquor; to filter.

PER'COLATE

,
Verb.
I.
To pass through small interstices; to filter; as, water percolates through a porous stone.

Definition 2024


percolate

percolate

English

Verb

percolate (third-person singular simple present percolates, present participle percolating, simple past and past participle percolated)

  1. (transitive) To pass a liquid through a porous substance; to filter.
  2. (intransitive) To drain or seep through a porous substance.
    Water percolates through sand.
  3. (transitive) To make (coffee) in a percolator.
    I'll percolate some coffee.
  4. (intransitive, figuratively) To spread slowly or gradually; to slowly become noticed or realised.
    Reports on the pitiful state of many prisons have finally percolated through to the Home Office, which has promised to look into the situation.
    Through media reports it percolated to the surface that the police investigation was profoundly flawed.

Related terms

Translations

Noun

percolate (plural percolates)

  1. (rare) A liquid that has been percolated.

Translations


Italian

Verb

percolate

  1. second-person plural present indicative of percolare
  2. second-person plural imperative of percolare
  3. feminine plural of percolato

Latin

Verb

percōlāte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of percōlō