More about the pharmacist. Notice the double entendre of
"tinctured". O.Henry uses it in the sense meaning "colored"
knowing full well it is also a pharmaceutical term. A couple other words have similar duplication. O.Henry has touches of genius.Incidentally he worked a couple years in
a pharmacy.
"Ikey roomed and breakfasted at Mrs. Riddle's two squares away. Mrs. Riddle had a daughter named Rosy. The circumlocution has been in vain--you must have guessed it--Ikey adored Rosy. She tinctured all his thoughts; she was the compound extract of all that was chemically pure and officinal--the dispensatory contained nothing equal to her. "


Tincīture
Noun 1. tincture - a substances that colors metals
coloring material, colour, colouring material, color - any material used for its color; "she used a different color for the trim"
argent - a metal tincture used in heraldry to give a silvery appearance
2. tincture - an indication that something has been present; "there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim"; "a tincture of condescension"
vestige, trace, shadow
footprint - a trace suggesting that something was once present or felt or otherwise important; "the footprints of an earlier civilization"
indicant, indication - something that serves to indicate or suggest; "an indication of foul play"; "indications of strain"; "symptoms are the prime indicants of disease"
3. tincture - a quality of a given color that differs slightly from a primary color; "after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted"
tint, shade, tone
color, coloring, colouring, colour - a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect; "a white color is made up of many different wavelengths of light"
tinge, undertone - a pale or subdued color
4. tincture - (pharmacology) a medicine consisting of an extract in an alcohol solution
medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine - (medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease
tincture of iodine, iodine - a tincture consisting of a solution of iodine in ethyl alcohol; applied topically to wounds as an antiseptic
materia medica, pharmacological medicine, pharmacology - the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects
arnica - used especially in treating bruises
Verb 1. tincture - fill, as with a certain quality; "The heavy traffic tinctures the air with carbon monoxide"
impregnate, infuse, instill
fill, fill up, make full - make full, also in a metaphorical sense; "fill a container"; "fill the child with pride"
2. tincture - stain or tint with a color; "The leaves were tinctured with a bright red"
bepaint, tinct, tint, tinge, touch - dye