‖ [ L., to infinity. ] Without limit; endlessly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. infinitus: cf. F. infini. See In- not, and Finite. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Unlimited or boundless, in time or space; as, infinite duration or distance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whatever is finite, as finite, will admit of no comparative relation with infinity; for whatever is less than infinite is still infinitely distant from infinity; and lower than infinite distance the lowest or least can not sink. H. Brooke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Without limit in power, capacity, knowledge, or excellence; boundless; immeasurably or inconceivably great; perfect; as, the infinite wisdom and goodness of God; -- opposed to finite. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite. Ps. cxlvii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

O God, how infinite thou art! I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Indefinitely large or extensive; great; vast; immense; gigantic; prodigious. [ 1913 Webster ]

Infinite riches in a little room. Marlowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which infinite calamity shall cause
To human life. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Math.) Greater than any assignable quantity of the same kind; -- said of certain quantities. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) Capable of endless repetition; -- said of certain forms of the canon, called also perpetual fugues, so constructed that their ends lead to their beginnings, and the performance may be incessantly repeated. Moore (Encyc. of Music).

Syn. -- Boundless; immeasurable; illimitable; interminable; limitless; unlimited; endless; eternal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which is infinite; boundless space or duration; infinity; boundlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not till the weight is heaved from off the air, and the thunders roll down the horizon, will the serene light of God flow upon us, and the blue infinite embrace us again. J. Martineau. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) An infinite quantity or magnitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An infinity; an incalculable or very great number. [ 1913 Webster ]

Glittering chains, embroidered richly o'er
With infinite of pearls and finest gold. Fanshawe. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The Infinite Being; God; the Almighty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Computers) a series of instructions in a computer program which, when executed, cause a cyclic repetition of the same instructions, with no other action by the program, for as long as the program continues to be executed, or the loop is interrupted by some external action. [ PJC ]

☞ An infinite loop is rarely written intentionally except in cases where the loop is intended merely as a waiting sequence, to be interrupted by some action of the user. It is more commonly the result of a serious logical error on the part of the programmer, resulting in a failure of the program. Its execution can be halted only by halting execution of the program, e.g. by intervention of the operating system or by halting or resetting the computer. In single-user systems, when executing an infinite loop, the computer will appear to halt operation of the program, and the program will be unresponsive to normal keyboard input, though it may be interrupted by an unmasked interrupt. [ PJC ]

adv. 1. Without bounds or limits; beyond or below assignable limits; as, an infinitely large or infinitely small quantity. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Very; exceedingly; vastly; highly; extremely. “Infinitely pleased.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being infinite; infinity; greatness; immensity. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Philosophy, Logic) A causal relationship transmitted through an indefinite number of terms in a series, with no term that begins the causal chain. [ PJC ]

a. [ Cf. F. infinitésimal, fr. infinitésime infinitely small, fr. L. infinitus. See Infinite, a. ] Infinitely or indefinitely small; less than any assignable quantity or value; very small. [ 1913 Webster ]

Infinitesimal calculus, the different and the integral calculus, when developed according to the method used by Leibnitz, who regarded the increments given to variables as infinitesimal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math.) An infinitely small quantity; that which is less than any assignable quantity. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By infinitesimals; in infinitely small quantities; in an infinitesimal degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to the infinite mood. “Infinitival stems.” Fitzed. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. infinitivus: cf. F. infinitif. See Infinite. ] Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined. [ 1913 Webster ]

Infinitive mood (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely names the action, and performs the office of a verbal noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: (a) The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear. (b) The form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in -ing; as, going is as easy as standing. [ 1913 Webster ]

With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could, would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare, do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go; you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly employed in expressing purpose. See Gerund, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was confounded with the present participle in -ende, or -inde (later -inge). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Gram.) An infinitive form of the verb; a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. (Gram.) In the manner of an infinitive mood. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ It. ] (Mus.) Infinite; perpetual, as a canon whose end leads back to the beginning. See Infinite, a., 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality or state of being infinite, or without limits; infiniteness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Infinite extent; unlimited space; immensity; infinity. “I am who fill infinitude.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

As pleasing to the fancy, as speculations of eternity or infinitude are to the understanding. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Boundless number; countless multitude. “An infinitude of distinctions.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. Quadruple. ] Multiplied an infinite number of times. [ R. ] Wollaston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Infinities [ L. infinitas; pref. in- not + finis boundary, limit, end: cf. F. infinité. See Finite. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity; eternity; boundlessness; immensity. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

There can not be more infinities than one; for one of them would limit the other. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Unlimited capacity, energy, excellence, or knowledge; as, the infinity of God and his perfections. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Endless or indefinite number; great multitude; as an infinity of beauties. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Math.) A quantity greater than any assignable quantity of the same kind. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Mathematically considered, infinity is always a limit of a variable quantity, resulting from a particular supposition made upon the varying element which enters it. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict.). [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Geom.) That part of a line, or of a plane, or of space, which is infinitely distant. In modern geometry, parallel lines or planes are sometimes treated as lines or planes meeting at infinity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Circle at infinity, an imaginary circle at infinity, through which, in geometry of three dimensions, every sphere is imagined to pass. --
Circular points at infinity. See under Circular. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Gram.) A simple infinitive with to, having a modifier between the verb and the to; as in, to largely decrease. Called also cleft infinitive. The use of the split infinitive is commonly considered to be ungrammatical, but by most grammarians it is considered acceptible. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]