əˈnȯint transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English anointen, enointen, from Middle French enoint (past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere ), from Latin inunctus, past participle of inunguere, from in + unguere, ungere to smear, anoint — more at ointment
1. : to rub over with oil or an oily substance
anointing his boat — Herman Melville
heron fat … was used by fishermen to anoint their lines — Irish Digest
that road to ruin for which extravagant habits … were plentifully anointing their wheels — George Eliot
: rub — used with with
anoint ing one another with suntan oil
drew the cork and anoint ed his head with the lotion
2. also an·noint “
a. : to apply oil or pour oil upon as a sacred rite especially for consecration
they anointed David king — 2 Sam 2:4 (Revised Standard Version)
b. : to choose by or as if by divine election : designate as if through the rite of anointment : consecrate
he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor — Lk 4:18 (Revised Standard Version)
the elect and anointed of God
regarded by all as his anointed successor
3. chiefly dialect : beat , thrash , chastise