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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Engrain

Engrain \En*grain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Engrained; p. pr. & vb. n. Engraining.] [Pref. en- + grain. Cf. Ingrain.]

  1. To dye in grain, or of a fast color. See Ingrain.

    Leaves engrained in lusty green.
    --Spenser.

  2. To incorporate with the grain or texture of anything; to infuse deeply. See Ingrain.

    The stain hath become engrained by time.
    --Sir W. Scott.

  3. To color in imitation of the grain of wood; to grain. See Grain, v. t., 1.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
engrain

also ingrain, late 14c., originally "dye (a fabric) red with cochineal," from French phrase en graine, from graine "seed of a plant," also "cochineal" (the source of the dye was thought to be berries), thus "fast-dyed." See grain; also compare kermes. Later associated with grain in the sense of "the fiber of a thing." Used figuratively from 16c. Related: Engrained.

Wiktionary
engrain

vb. (alternative spelling of ingrain English)

Usage examples of "engrain".

The red Rexine coverings are engrained with grime except where the seats and backrests are worn smooth.

I thus see no good reason to oppose the proposition that when engrains are formed in the human brain, their formation employs broadly the same types of biochemical mechanism as in other vertebrates.

The Army engrains in you the concept of loyalty between an officer and his men.

So the dimers represented a possible on-off switch of the hoped-for engrain.

And with the mind, even of humans, behaving in a habituated, instinctive fashion, many an insightful perception or suggestion is rejected out of hand by the deeply engrained, yet erroneous, patterns adhered to by the majority.

You spend even a little time contemplating the Earth from orbit and the most deeply engrained nationalisms begin to erode.