Etymology Learned borrowing from Late Latin enema, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek ἔνεμα (énema, “injection”), from ἐνίημι (eníēmi, “to send in, inject”).
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An injection of fluid into the large intestine by way of the rectum, usually for medical purposes.
To the distensile enema of simple tepid water, no valid objection can be urged.1875, Atlanta Medical and Surgical Journal, volume 12, page 133:
[…] It is further neglected by a mental dependence upon cathartics or enemata to produce the stimulation. Defecalgesiophobia is a common cause for neglecting the act.1934, George Morris Piersol, Edward LeRoy Bortz, The Cyclopedia of Medicine, volume 10, F. A. Davis Company:
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Iatrogenic poisoning can result from the use of magnesium in the treatment of hypertension or of toxemia of pregnancy; deaths have been reported from the use of magnesium sulfate enemas in megacolon and from oral administration for purging.1983, Richard E. Behrman, Victor C. Vaughan, III, Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, W. B. Saunders, →ISBN, page 249:
But alcohol enemas are no laughing matter, experts say. […] Using an alcohol enema involves placing a small tube into someone’s rectum and pouring alcohol into the colon.2012 September 26, Jacque Wilson, “Experts: Alcohol enemas ‘extremely dangerous’”, in CNN:
Etymology Learned borrowing from Late Latin enema, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek ἔνεμα (énema, “injection”), from ἐνίημι (eníēmi, “to send in, inject”).
1
To administer an enema.
It's common to enema before anal sex.
It would take simpler souls with little or no training to do the yeoman work of enemaing and puking the sick people of the community.1975, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Transactions & Studies of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia:
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"So, there I was, shaved and enemaed, in the labor room with my husband.1977, Brennan, Barbara; Heilman, Joan Rattner, The Complete Book of Midwifery:
I got out of the hospital after my last suicide attempt — the one where I tried to enema myself to death with hot buttered rum1998, Susan Smith Nash, Doomsday Belly:
Shower and she enemas herself and I put towels on the bed, which in retrospect weren't enough because her enema spilt over onto the sheets2024 March 3, CABAL, TokyoAdultGuide.com: