1. An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination.
To cheat the eye with blear illusions.
Milton. 2. Hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charming; enchantment; witchery; glamour.
Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise!
Pope. 3. (Physiol.) A sensation originated by some external object, but so modified as in any way to lead to
an erroneous perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for thunder.
Some modern writers distinguish between an illusion and hallucination, regarding the former as originating
with some external object, and the latter as having no objective occasion whatever.
4. A plain, delicate lace, usually of silk, used for veils, scarfs, dresses, etc.
Syn. — Delusion; mockery; deception; chimera; fallacy. See Delusion. Illusion, Delusion. Illusion refers
particularly to errors of the sense; delusion to false hopes or deceptions of the mind. An optical deception
is an illusion; a false opinion is a delusion. E. Edwards.
Illusionable
(Il*lu"sion*a*ble) a. Liable to illusion.
Illusionist
(Il*lu"sion*ist), n. One given to illusion; a visionary dreamer.
Illusive
(Il*lu"sive) a. [See Illude.] Deceiving by false show; deceitful; deceptive; false; illusory; unreal.
Truth from illusive falsehood to command.
Thomson. Illusively
(Il*lu"sive*ly), adv. In a illusive manner; falsely.
Illusiveness
(Il*lu"sive*ness), n. The quality of being illusive; deceptiveness; false show.
Illusory
(Il*lu"so*ry) a. [Cf. F. illusore.] Deceiving, or tending of deceive; fallacious; illusive; as, illusory
promises or hopes.
Illustrable
(Il*lus"tra*ble) a. Capable of illustration. Sir T. Browne.
Illustrate
(Il*lus"trate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illustrated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Illustrating ] [L. illustratus, p. p.
of illustrare to illustrate, fr. illustris bright. See Illustrious.]
1. To make clear, bright, or luminous.
Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky.
Chapman. 2. To set in a clear light; to exhibit distinctly or conspicuously. Shak.
To prove him, and illustrate his high worth.
Milton. 3. To make clear, intelligible, or apprehensible; to elucidate, explain, or exemplify, as by means of figures,
comparisons, and examples.
4. To adorn with pictures, as a book or a subject; to elucidate with pictures, as a history or a romance.
5. To give renown or honor to; to make illustrious; to glorify. [Obs.]
Matter to me of glory, whom their hate
Illustrates.
Milton.
