**infant mortality rate** 712
**infant mortality rate** *abbrev.* **IMR** *n* the number of deaths of babies under one year old, expressed per 1000 babies born alive in a year. This figure is regarded as a measure of a country's wealth and social development.
**infant 'prodigy** also **child prodigy** *n* a (young) child with unusually great ability and understanding: *Mozart was an infant prodigy: he composed a symphony at the age of seven.*
**in·fan·try** /'infəntri/ *n* [(the) U+sing./pl. v] soldiers who fight on foot: *Our infantry was/were fighting bravely. | My son's in the infantry.* $\rightarrow$ compare CAVALRY
**in.fan.try.man** /'infəntrimən/ *n*.*pl*. **-men** /-mən/ a soldier who fights on foot
**'infant school** *n* (in Britain) a school for children aged 5 to 7 or 8 $\rightarrow$ compare ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; see also PRIMARY SCHOOL and Feature on page A13
**in·fat·u·at·ed** /in'fætʃueitɪd/ *adj* [(with)] *usually derog* (of a person) filled with a strong, unreasonable, but usually not long-lasting, feeling of love. Many people think of being infatuated as something experienced by young people, especially TEENAGERS at school, sometimes with someone of the same sex: *She's really infatuated with that boy next door. | (fig.) He's infatuated with his own importance.*
**in·fat·u·a·tion** /inˌfætʃu'eiʃən/ *n* [C;U(with)] a state or period of being infatuated: *It's only an infatuation; she'll get over it soon enough.*
**in·fect** /in'fekt/ *v* [T(with)] **1** (of a disease) to get into the body of (someone), often through the air: *The open wound soon became infected. | Don't come near me if you've got a cold – I don't want to be infected.* **2** to make (air, food etc) impure by spreading disease into it; CONTAMINATE: *infected food* **3** to make (someone else) have feelings of the same type: *She infected the whole class with her enthusiasm.*
**in·fec·tion** /in'fekʃən/ *n* [C;U] the act or result of infecting, or a disease spread by infecting: *a lung/chest infection | Sterilize the needle to prevent infection.* $\rightarrow$ compare CONTAGION
**in·fec·tious** /in'fekʃəs/ *adj* (of a disease) that can be passed from one person to another by infection, especially in the air: *Colds are infectious. | (fig.) infectious laughter* $\rightarrow$ compare CONTAGIOUS **—ly** *adv* **—ness** *n* [U]
**in·fer** /in'fɜː/ *v -rr-* [T(from)] to form an opinion from or make a judgment based on (something); DEDUCE: *What can we infer from his refusal to see us? | [+that] I infer from your letter that you have not yet made a decision.*
> Compare **infer** and **imply**. The speaker or writer **implies** something, and the listener or reader **infers** it. *His remarks implied (=suggested indirectly) that he hadn't enjoyed his holiday. | I inferred (=understood) from his remarks that he hadn't enjoyed his holiday.*
**in·fer·ence** /'infərəns/ *n* **1** [U] the act of inferring: *Our conclusions were arrived at by inference, not by direct evidence.* **2** [C] the judgment that one forms about the meaning of something done, said etc: *He never arrives on time; the inference is that he feels the meetings are useless.* $\rightarrow$ compare IMPLICATION
**in·fer·en·tial** /ˌinfə'renʃəl/ *adj* which can be or has been inferred; not direct: *inferential proof* **—ly** *adv*
**in·fe·ri·or¹** /in'fɪəriə/ *adj* [(to)] **1** not good or less good in quality or value: *His work is inferior to mine. | She's so clever, she makes me feel inferior. | an inferior mind | goods of inferior quality* **2** *fml or tech* lower in position: *an inferior court of law* $\rightarrow$ compare SUPERIOR; see MAJOR (USAGE) **—ity** /in,fɪəri'ɒrəti/-'ɔːr-/ *n* [U]
**inferior²** *n* often *derog* a person of lower rank, especially in a job; SUBORDINATE $\rightarrow$ compare SUPERIOR²
**in,feri'ority ,complex** *n* [(about)] a condition of the mind in which someone believes himself or herself to be much less important, clever etc than other people, sometimes resulting in avoiding other people or trying to attract attention $\rightarrow$ compare SUPERIORITY COMPLEX
**in·fer·nal** /in'fɜːnəl/ *adj* **1** [A] *old-fash infml* (used especially to express anger or annoyance) extremely unpleasant; terrible: *What an infernal racket/din! | an infernal nuisance* **2** [no comp.] *lit* of HELL: *the infernal powers* **—ly** *adv*: *infernally noisy | an infernally long time*
**in·fer·no** /in'fɜːnəʊ/-'ɜːr-/ *n pl*. **-nos** a place of very great heat and large uncontrollable flames: *the oilrig caught fire and quickly became a raging inferno.* $\rightarrow$ see also DANTE'S INFERNO
**in·fer·tile** /in'fɜːtaɪl||-3:rtəl/ *adj* **1** [no comp.] not able to produce young: *infertile eggs* **2** (of land) not able to grow plants
**in·fer·til·i·ty** /ˌinfɜː'tɪləti||-3:r/ *n* [U] the state of being infertile: *the infertility of the soil*
**in·fest** /in'fest/ *v* [T(with)] (of something harmful, dangerous, or unwanted) to be present (in a place) in large numbers or to a great degree: *Mice infested the old house. | It would be crazy to swim in these shark-infested waters.* **—ation** /ˌinfe'steɪʃən/ *n* [C;U] *an infestation of lice/dry rot*
**in·fi·del** /'infɪdəl/ *n* *old use derog* (used especially in former times by Christians and Muslims of each other) someone who does not follow one's own religion; an unbeliever: *war against the infidels*
**in·fi·del·i·ty** /ˌinfɪ'deləti/ *n* [C;U(to)] **1** (an example or act of) not being faithful **2** (an act of) sex with someone other than one's marriage partner $\rightarrow$ compare FIDELITY
**in·field**, **the** /'infiːld/ *n* **1** the part of a cricket field nearest to the player who hits the ball **2** the part of a BASEBALL field inside the four bases **3** [+sing./pl. v] the players in this part of the field $\rightarrow$ compare OUTFIELD **—er** *n*
**in·fight·ing** /'infaɪtɪŋ/ *n* [U] competition and disagreement, often bitter, which goes on between close members of a group, e.g. partners in a company or members of a political party: *political infighting*
**in·fil·trate** /'infɪltreɪt||in'fɪltreit, 'infɪl-/ *v* [T(into)] to (cause to) go into (a place) or become part of (an organization), secretly or without being noticed, and usually with an unfriendly purpose: *She claimed that Communist sympathizers had infiltrated our organization. | We infiltrated some of our troops into enemy territory.* **—tration** /ˌinfɪl'treɪʃən/ *n* [C;U] **—trator** /'infɪltreitə||in'fɪltreitər, 'infɪl-/ *n*
**in·fi·nite** /'infɪnət/ *adj* **1** without limits or end; not FINITE: *The universe is infinite. | an infinite number of possibilities* **2** very great: *with infinite care/patience | This is an infinite improvement on your previous work. | My father has decreed in his infinite wisdom (=I completely disagree) that all motorbikes are killers, so I can't buy one.* **—ly** *adv*: *infinitely large/better*
**infinite, the** (often *cap.*) the highest power of the spirit; God
**in·fin·i·tes·i·mal** /ˌinfɪnə'tesɪməl/ *adj* extremely small: *an infinitesimal amount* **—ly** *adv*
**in·fin·i·tive** /in'fɪnətɪv/ *n* [the] *tech* (in grammar) the form of a verb that is usually used with **to** and can follow a noun, adjective, or other verb (for example *go* in *a desire to go*, *It is important to go*, and *I want to go*) and can sometimes be used without **to** when following certain verbs (for example *go* in *You may go* and *I saw her go*) $\rightarrow$ see $TO^{3}$ (USAGE); see also SPLIT INFINITIVE **—infinitive adj**: *an infinitive construction*
**in·fin·i·tude** /in'fɪnətjuːd||-tuːd/ *n* [S;U] *fml* largeness; wideness; lack of limits: *the vast infinitude of space*
**in·fin·i·ty** /in'fɪnəti/ *n* [U] **1** a point at an infinite distance away: *The universe stretches out to infinity. | Parallel lines meet at infinity.* **2** a number too large to be calculated
**in·firm** /in'fɜːm||-3:rm/ *adj* weak in body or mind, especially from age: *old and infirm*
**in·fir·ma·ry** /in'fɜːməri||-3:r-/ *n* **1** a hospital **2** a room or other place where people who are ill are given care and treatment: *the school infirmary*
**in·fir·mi·ty** /in'fɜːmɪti||-3:r-/ *n fml* **1** [C *usually pl*;U] (a) weakness of body or mind: *the infirmities of old age | suffering from age and infirmity* **2** infirmity of purpose *lit* inability to decide
**in fla·gran·te de·lic·to** /in fləˌɡrænteɪ dɪ'lɪktəʊ/ *adv Lat, often humor* in an act of SEXUAL INTERCOURSE especially one with someone else's husband/wife
**in·flame** /in'fleɪm/ *v* [T(with)] to make (more) violent or angry: *His indiscreet comments only served to inflame the dispute. | inflamed with desire*
**in·flamed** /in'fleɪmd/ *adj* (of a part of the body) red and swollen because hurt or diseased: *an inflamed eye*