a. [ Formerly intime, L. intimus, a superl. corresponding to the compar. interior: cf. F. intime. The form intimate is due to confusion with intimate, v. t. See Interior. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Innermost; inward; internal; deep-seated; hearty. “I knew from intimate impulse.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Near; close; direct; thorough; complete. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was honored with an intimate and immediate admission. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Close in friendship or acquaintance; familiar; confidential; as, an intimate friend.

Syn. -- Familiar; near; friendly; confidential. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An intimate friend or associate; a confidant. Gov. of the Tongue. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Intimated p. pr. & vb. n. Intimating. ] [ L. intimatus, p. p. of intimare to put, bring, drive, or press into, to announce, make known, from intimus the inmost. See Intimate, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To announce; to declare; to publish; to communicate; to make known. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He, incontinent, did proclaim and intimate open war. E. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

So both conspiring 'gan to intimate
Each other's grief. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To suggest obscurely or indirectly; to refer to remotely; to give slight notice of; to hint; as, he intimated his intention of resigning his office. [ 1913 Webster ]

The names of simple ideas and substances, with the abstract ideas in the mind, intimate some real existence, from which was derived their original pattern. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an intimate manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. intimatio: cf. F. intimation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of intimating; also, the thing intimated. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Announcement; declaration. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

They made an edict with an intimation that whosoever killed a stork, should be banished. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A hint; an obscure or indirect suggestion or notice; a remote or ambiguous reference; as, he had given only intimations of his design. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without mentioning the king of England, or giving the least intimation that he was sent by him. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]