IM'AGE, noun [Latin imago.]

1. A representation or similitude of any person or thing, formed of a material substance; as an image wrought out of stone, wood or wax.

Whose is this image and superscription? Matthew 22:20.

2. A statue.

3. An idol; the representation of any person or thing, that is an object of worship. The second commandment forbids the worship of images.

4. The likeness of any thing on canvas; a picture; a resemblance painted.

5. Any copy, representation or likeness.

The child is the image of its mother.

6. Semblance; show; appearance.

The face of things a frightful image bears.

7. An idea; a representation of any thing to the mind; a conception; a picture drawn by fancy.

Can we conceive

Image of aught delightful, soft or great?

8. In rhetoric, a lively description of any thing in discourse, which presents a kind of picture to the mind.

9. In optics, the figure of any object, made by rays of light proceeding from the several points of it. Thus a mirror reflects the image of a person standing before it, as does water in a vessel or stream, when undisturbed.

IM'AGE, verb transitive To imagine; to copy by the imagination; to form a likeness in the mind by the fancy or recollection.

And image charms he must behold no more.

IM'AGERY, noun im'ajry. Sensible representations, pictures, statues.

Rich carvings, portraitures and imagery

1. Show; appearance.

What can thy imagery and sorrow mean?

2. Forms of the fancy; false ideas; imaginary phantasms.

The imagery of a melancholic fancy.

3. Representations in writing or speaking; lively descriptions which impress the images of things on the mind; figures in discourse.

I wish there may be in this poem any instance of good imagery

4. Form; make.

IMAG'INABLE, adjective That may be imagined or conceived. This point is proved with all imaginable clearness.

IMAG'INANT, adjective Imagining; conceiving. [Not used.]

IMAG'INARY, adjective Existing only in imagination or fancy; visionary; fancied; not real.

Imaginary ills and fancied tortures.

IMAGINA'TION, noun [Latin imaginatio.] The power or faculty of the mind by which it conceives and forms ideas of things communicated to it by the organs of sense.

Imagination I understand to be the representation of an individual thought.

Our simple apprehension of corporeal objects, if present, is sense; if absent, is imagination [conception.]

Imagination, in its proper sense, signifies a lively conception of objects of sight. It is distinguished from conception, as a part from a whole.

The business of conception is to present us with an exact transcript of what we have felt or perceived. But we have also a power of modifying our conceptions, by combining the parts of different ones so as to form new wholes of our own creation. I shall employ the word imagination to express this power. I apprehend this to be the proper sense of the word, if imagination be the power which gives birth to the productions of the poet and the painter.

We would define imagination to be the will working on the materials of memory; not satisfied with following the order prescribed by nature, or suggested by accident, it selects the parts of different conceptions, or objects of memory, to form a whole more pleasing, more terrible, or more awful, than has ever been presented in the ordinary course of nature.

The two latter definitions give the true sense of the word, as now understood.

1. Conception; image in the mind; idea.

Sometimes despair darkens all her imaginations.

His imaginations were often as just as they were bold and strong.

2. Contrivance; scheme formed in the mind; device.

Thou hast seen all their vengeance, and all their imaginations against me. Lamentations 3:60.

3. Conceit; an unsolid or fanciful opinion.

We are apt to think that space, in itself, is actually boundless; to which imagination the idea of space of itself leads us.

4. First motion or purpose of the mind. Genesis 6:5.

IMAG'INATIVE, adjective That forms imaginations.

1. Full of imaginations; fantastic.

IMAG'INE, verb transitive [Latin imaginor, from imago, image.]

1. To form a notion or idea in the mind; to fancy. We can imagine the figure of a horse's head united to a human body.

In this sense, fancy is the more proper word.

2. To form ideas or representations in the mind, by modifying and combining our conceptions.

3. To contrive in purpose; to scheme; to devise.

How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? Psalms 62:3.

IMAG'INE, verb intransitive To conceive; to have a notion or idea. I cannot imagine how this should have happened.

IMAG'INED, participle passive Formed in the mind; fancied; contrived.

IMAG'INER, noun One who forms ideas; one who contrives.

IMAG'INING, participle present tense Forming ideas in the mind; devising.

IM'AM

IM'AN, noun A minister or priest among the Mohammedans.

Imbalm, Imbargo, Imbark, Imbase. See Embalm, Embargo, Embark, Embase.

IM'AN, n. A minister or priest among the Mohammedans.

Imbalm, Imbargo, Imbark, Imbase. See Embalm, Embargo, Embark, Embase.

IMBAN', verb transitive [in and ban.] To excommunicate, in a civil sense; to cut off from the rights of man, or exclude from the common privileges of humanity.

IMBAND', verb transitive [in and band.] To form into a band or bands.

Beneath full sails imbanded nations rise.

IMBAND'ED, participle passive Formed into a band or bands.

IMBANK, verb transitive [in and bank.] To inclose with a bank; to defend by banks, mounds or dikes.

IMBANK'ED, participle passive Inclosed or defended with a bank.

IMBANK'ING, participle present tense Inclosing or surrounding with a bank.

IMBANK'MENT, noun The act of surrounding or defending with a bank.

1. Inclosure by a bank; the banks or mounds of earth that are raised to defend a place, especially against floods.

IMB'ARN, verb transitive To deposit in a barn. [Not used.]

IMB'ASTARDIZE, verb transitive To bastardize, which see.

IMBE'AD, verb transitive [in and bead.] To fasten with a bead.

The strong bright bayonet imbeaded fast.

IMBE'ADED, participle passive Fastened with a bead.

IM'BECILE, adjective im'becil. [Latin imbecillis.] Weak; feeble; destitute of strength, either of body or of mind; impotent.

IMBECIL'ITY, noun [Latin imbecillitas.]

1. Want of strength; weakness; feebleness of body or of mind. We speak of the imbecility of the body or of the intellect, when either does not possess the usual strength and vigor that belongs to men, and which is necessary to a due performance of its functions. This may be natural, or induced by violence or disease.

2. Impotence of males; inability to procreate children.

IMBED', verb transitive [in and bed.] To sink or lay in a bed; to place in a mass of earth, sand or other substance, so as to be partly inclosed.

IMBED'DED, participle passive Laid or inclosed, as in a bed or mass of surrounding matter.

IMBED'DING, participle present tense Laying, as in a bed.

IMBEL'LIC, adjective [Latin in and bellicus.] Not warlike or martial. [Little used.]

IMBENCH'ING, noun [in and bench.] A raised work like a bench.

IMBI'BE, verb transitive [Latin imbibo; in and bibo, to drink.]

1. To drink in; to absorb; as, a dry or porous body imbibes a fluid; a sponge imbibes moisture.

2. To receive or admit into the mind and retain; as, to imbibe principles; to imbibe errors. Imbibing in the mind always implies retention, at least for a time.

3. To imbue, as used by Newton; but he has not been followed.

IMBI'BED, participle passive Drank in, as a fluid; absorbed; received into the mind and retained.

IMBI'BER, noun He or that which imbibes.

IMBI'BING, participle present tense Drinking in; absorbing; receiving and retaining.

IMBIBI'TION, noun The act of imbibing.

IMBIT'TER, verb transitive [in and bitter.] To make bitter.

1. To make unhappy or grievous; to render distressing. The sins of youth often imbitter old age. Grief imbitters our enjoyments.

2. To exasperate; to make more severe, poignant or painful. The sorrows of true penitence are imbittered by a sense of our ingratitude to our Almighty Benefactor.

3. To exasperate; to render more violent or malignant; as, to imbitter enmity, anger, rage, passion, etc.

IMBIT'TERED, participle passive Made unhappy or painful; exasperated.

IMBIT'TERING, participle present tense Rendering unhappy or distressing; exasperating.

IMBOD'IED, participle passive [See Imbody.] Formed into a body.

IMBOD'Y, verb transitive [in and body.] To form into a body; to invest with matter; to make corporeal; as, to imbody the soul or spirit.

An opening cloud reveals

A heavenly form, imbodied and array'd

With robes of light.

1. To form into a body, collection or system; as, to imbody the laws of a state in a code.

2. To bring into a band, company, regiment, brigade, army, or other regular assemblage; to collect; as, to embody the forces of a nation.

Then Clausus came, who led a numerous band

Of troops imbodied.

IMBOD'Y, verb intransitive To unite in a body, mass or collection; to coalesce.

IMBOD'YING, participle present tense Forming into a body; investing with a corporeal body.

1. Collecting and uniting in a body.

IMBOIL', verb intransitive To effervesce.

IMBOLDEN, verb transitive imboldn. [in and bold.] To encourage; to give confidence to.

Nothing imboldens sin so much as mercy.

IMBOLDEN, participle passive Encouraged; having received confidence.

IMBOLDENING, participle present tense Encouraging; giving confidence.

IMBORD'ER, verb transitive [in and border.] To furnish or inclose with a border; to adorn with a border.

1. To terminate; to bound.

IMBORD'ERED, participle passive Furnished, inclosed or adorned with a border; bounded.

IMBORD'ERING, participle present tense Furnishing, inclosing or adorning with a border; bounding.

IMBOSK', verb transitive To conceal, as in bushes; to hide.

IMBO'SOM, verb transitive s as z. [in and bosom.] To hold in the bosom; to cover fondly with the folds of one's garment.

1. To hold in nearness or intimacy.

--The Father infinite,

By whom in bliss imbosomed sat the Son.

2. To admit to the heart or affection; to caress.

But glad desire, his late imbosom'd guest--

3. To inclose in the midst; to surround.

Villages imbosomed soft in trees--

4. To inclose in the midst; to cover; as pearls imbosomed in the deep.

IMBO'SOMED, participle passive Held in the bosom or to the breast; caressed; surrounded in the midst; inclosed; covered.

IMBO'SOMING, participle present tense Holding in the bosom; caressing; holding to the breast; inclosing or covering in the midst.

IMBOUND', verb transitive [in and bound.] To inclose in limits; to shut in. [Little used.]

IMBOW, verb transitive [in and bow.] To arch; to vault; as an imbowed roof.

1. To make of a circular form; as imbowed windows.

IMBOWED, participle passive Arched; vaulted; made of a circular form.

IMBOW'ER, verb transitive [in and bower.] To cover with a bower; to shelter with trees.

IMBOW'ERED, participle passive Covered with a bower; sheltered with trees.

IMBOW'ERING, participle present tense Covering with a bower or with trees.

IMBOWING, participle present tense Arching; vaulting; making of a circular form.

IMBOWMENT, noun An arch; a vault.

IMBOX', verb transitive To inclose in a box.

IMBRAN'GLE, verb transitive To entangle.

IMBREE'D, verb transitive To generate within.

IM'BRICATE

IM'BRICATED, adjective [Latin imbricatus, imbrico, from imbrex, a tile.]

1. Bent and hollowed like a roof or gutter tile.

2. In botany, lying over each other, like tiles on roof; parallel, with a strait surface, and lying one over the other; as leaves in the bud.

IM'BRICATED, a. [L. imbricatus, imbrico, from imbrex, a tile.]

IMBRICA'TION, noun A concave indenture, like that of tiles; tiling.

IMBROWN', verb transitive [in and brown.] To make brown; to darken; to obscure.

The umpierc'd shade

IMBROWN'd the noon-tide bowers.

1. To darken the color of; to make dirty.

The foot grows black that was with dirt imbrown'd.

2. To tan; to darken the complexion.

IMBROWN'ED, participle passive Made brown; darkened; tanned.

IMBROWN'ING, participle present tense Rendering brown; darkening; tanning.

IMBRUE, verb transitive imbru'. [Gr. to moisten.]

1. To wet or moisten; to soak; to drench in a fluid, chiefly in blood.

Whose arrows in my blood their wings imbrue

Lucius pities the offenders,

That would imbrue their hands in Cato's blood.

2. To pour out liquor.

IMBRU'ED, participle passive Wet; moistened; drenched.

IMBRU'ING, participle present tense Wetting; moistening; drenching.

IMBRU'TE, verb transitive [in and brute.] To degrade to the state of a brute; to reduce to brutality.

--And mix with bestial slime

This essence to incarnate and imbrute

IMBRU'TE, verb intransitive To sink to the state of a brute.

IMBRU'TED, participle passive Degraded to brutism.

IMBRU'TING, participle present tense Reducing to brutishness.

IMBUE, verb intransitive imbu'. [Latin imbuo; in and the root of Eng. buck, to buck cloth, that is, to dip, drench or steep in water.]

1. To tinge deeply; to dye; as, to imbue cloth.

2. To tincture deeply; to cause to imbibe; as, to imbue the minds of youth with good principles.

IMBU'ED, participle passive tinged; dyed; tinctured.

IMBU'ING, participle present tense Tinging; dyeing; tincturing deeply.

IMITABIL'ITY, noun [See Imitable, Imitate.] The quality of being imitable.

IM'ITABLE, adjective [Latin imitabilis. See Imitate.]

1. That may be imitated or copied. Let us follow our Savior in all his imitable conduct and traits of character. There are some works of the ancients that are hardly imitable The dignified style of Johnson is scarcely imitable

2. Worthy of imitation.

IMI'TATE, verb transitive [Latin imitor; allied perhaps to Gr. similar, equal.]

1. To follow in manners; to copy in form, color or quality. We imitate another in dress or manners; we imitate a statue, a painting, a sound, an action, when we make or do that which resembles it. We should seek the best models to imitate and in morals and piety, it is our duty to imitate the example of our Savior. But as we cannot always make an exact similitude of the original, hence,

2. To attempt or endeavor to copy or resemble; as, to imitate the colors of the rainbow, or any of the beauties of nature. Cicero appears to have imitated the Greek orators.

3. To counterfeit.

This hand appear'd a shining sword to wield,

And that sustain'd an imitated shield.

4. To pursue the course of a composition, so as to use like images and examples.

IM'ITATED, participle passive Followed; copied.

IM'ITATING, participle present tense Following in manner; copying.

IMITA'TION, noun [Latin imitatio; imitor, to imitate.]

1. The act of following in manner, or of copying in form; the act of making the similitude of any thing, or of attempting a resemblance. By the imitation of bad men or of evil examples, we are apt to contract vicious habits. In the imitation of natural forms and colors, we are often unsuccessful. imitation in music, says Rousseau, is a reiteration of the same air, or of one which is similar, in several parts where it is repeated by one after the other, either in unison, or at the distance of a fourth, a fifth, a third, or any interval whatever. imitation in oratory, is an endeavor to resemble a speaker or writer in the qualities which we propose to ourselves as patterns.

2. That which is made or produced as a copy; likeness; resemblance. We say, a thing is a true imitation of nature.

3. A method of translating, in which modern examples and illustrations are used for ancient, or domestic for foreign, or in which the translator not only varies the words and sense, but forsakes them as he sees occasion.

IM'ITATIVE, adjective Inclined to follow in manner; as, man is an imitative being.

1. Aiming at resemblance; that is used in the business of forming resemblances. Painting is an initiative art.

2. Formed after a model, pattern or original.

This temple, less in form, with equal grace,

Was imitative of the first in Thrace.

Imitative music, is that which is intended to resemble some natural operation, the passions, and the like.

IM'ITATOR, noun One that follows in manners or deportment.

1. One that copies, or attempts to make the resemblance of any thing.

IMITA'TORSHIP, noun The office or state of an imitator.

IMMAC'ULATE, noun [Latin immaculatus; in and macula, a spot.]

1. Spotless; pure; unstained; undefiled; without blemish; as immaculate reputation; immaculate thoughts. Our Savior has set us an example of an immaculate life and conversation.

2. Pure; limpid; not tinged with impure matter; as an immaculate fountain.

Immaculate conception, the conception of our Savior by the virgin Mary.

IMMAC'ULATELY, adverb With spotless purity.

IMMAC'ULATENESS, noun Spotless purity.

IMMA'ILED, adjective Wearing mail or armor.

IMMAL'LEABLE, adjective [in and malleable.] Not malleable; that cannot be extended by hammering.

IMMAN'ACLE, verb transitive [in and manacle.] To put manacles on; to fetter or confine; to restrain from free action.

IMMAN'ACLED, participle passive Fettered; confined.

IMMAN'ACLING, participle present tense Fettering; confining.

IMMA'NE, adjective [Latin immanis.] Vast; huge; very great. [Little used.]

IMMA'NELY, adverb Monstrously; cruelly.

IM'MANENCY, noun Internal dwelling.

IM'MANENT, adjective [Latin in and manens, maneo, to abide.] Inherent; intrinsic; internal.

IMMAN'ITY, noun [Latin immanitas.] Barbarity; savageness.

IMMARCES'SIBLE, adjective [Latin in and marcesco, to fade.] Unfading.

IMM'ARTIAL, adjective [in and martial.] Not martial; not warlike.

IMM'ASK, verb transitive [in and mask.] To cover, as with a mask; to disguise.

IMM'ASKED, participle passive Covered; masked.

IMM'ASKING, participle present tense Covering; disguising.

IMMATCH'ABLE, adjective That cannot be matched; peerless.

IMMATE'RIAL, adjective

1. Incorporeal; not material; not consisting of matter; as immaterial spirits. The mind or soul is immaterial

2. Unimportant; without weight; not material; of no essential consequence.

IMMATE'RIALISM, noun The doctrine of the existence or state of immaterial substances or spiritual beings.

IMMATE'RIALIST, noun One who professes immateriality.

IMMATERIAL'ITY, noun The quality of being immaterial, or not consisting of matter; destitution of matter; as the immateriality of the soul.

IMMATE'RIALIZED, adjective Rendered or made immaterial.

IMMATE'RIALLY, adverb In a manner not depending on matter.

1. In a manner unimportant.

IMMATE'RIALNESS, noun The state of being immaterial; immateriality.

IMMATE'RIATE, adjective Not consisting of matter; incorporeal; immaterial. [Little used.]

IMMATU'RE, adjective [Latin immaturus; in and maturus.]

1. Not mature or ripe; unripe; that has not arrived to a perfect state; applied to fruit.

2. Not perfect; not brought to a complete state; as immature plans or counsels.

3. Hasty; too early; that comes before the natural time.

[In this sense, premature is generally used.]

IMMATU'RELY, adverb Too soon; before ripeness or completion; before the natural time.

IMMATU'RENESS

IMMATU'RITY, noun Unripeness; incompleteness; the state of a thing which has not arrived to perfection.

IMMATU'RITY, n. Unripeness; incompleteness; the state of a thing which has not arrived to perfection.

IMMEABIL'ITY, noun [Latin in and meo, to pass.] Want of power to pass.

The proper sense is, the quality of not being permeable, or not affording a passage through the pores. [Little used.]

IMMEAS'URABLE, adjective immezh'urable. [in and measure.]

That cannot be measured; immense; indefinitely extensive; as an immeasurable distance or space; an immeasurable abyss.

IMMEAS'URABLY, adverb To an extent not to be measured; immensely; beyond all measure.

IMMEAS'URED, adjective Exceeding common measure.

IMMECHAN'ICAL, adjective [in and mechanical.] Not consonant to the laws of mechanics.

IMME'DIACY, noun [from immediate.] Power of acting without dependence.

IMME'DIATE, adjective [Latin in and medius, middle.]

1. Proximate; acting without a medium, or without the intervention of another cause or means; producing its effect by its own direct agency. An immediate cause is that which is exerted directly in producing its effect, in opposition to a mediate cause, or one more remote.

2. Not acting by second causes; as the immediate will of God.

3. Instant; present; without the intervention of time. We must have an immediate supply of bread.

Immediate are my needs--

Death--inflicted--by an immediate stroke.

IMME'DIATELY, adverb Without the intervention of any other cause or event; opposed to mediately.

The transfer, whether accepted immediately by himself, or mediately by his agent, vests in him the property.

1. Instantly; at the present time; without delay, or the intervention of time.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3.

IMME'DIATENESS, noun Presence with regard to time.

1. Exemption from second or intervening causes.

IMMED'ICABLE, adjective [Latin immedicabilis; in and medicabilis, from medico, to heal.] Not to be healed; incurable.

IMMELO'DIOUS, adjective Not melodious.

IMMEM'ORABLE, adjective [Latin immemorabilis; in and memorabilis. See Memory.]

Not to be remembered; not worth remembering.

IMMEMO'RIAL, adjective [Latin in and memor, memoria.]

Beyond memory; an epithet given to time or duration, etc., whose beginning is not remembered, or cannot be traced and ascertained; as when it is said a man has possessed an estate in fee from time immemorial or time out of mind. Such possession constitutes prescription, or prescriptive right. So we speak of immemorial use, custom or practice. In England, a thing is said to be immemorial when it commenced before the reign of Edward II.

IMMEMO'RIALLY, adverb Beyond memory.

IMMENSE, adjective immens'. [Latin immensus; in and mensus, metior, to measure.]

1. Unlimited; unbounded; infinite.

O goodness infinite! goodness immense!

2. Vast in extent; very great; as an immense distance.

3. Huge in bulk; very large; as the immense body of Jupiter.

IMMENSELY, adverb immens'ly. Infinitely; without limits or measure.

1. Vastly; very greatly.

IMMENS'ITY, noun Unlimited extension; an extent not to be measured; infinity.

By the power we find in ourselves of repeating, as often as we will, any idea of space, we get the idea of immensity

1. Vastness in extent or bulk; greatness.

IMMENSURABIL'ITY, noun [from immensurable.] The quality of not being capable of measure; impossibility to be measured.

IMMEN'SURABLE, adjective [Latin in and mensurabilis, from mensura, measure; mensus, metior.] Not to be measured; immeasurable.

The law of nature--a term of immensurable extent.

IMMEN'SURATE, adjective Unmeasured.

IMMERGE, verb transitive immerj'. [Latin immergo; in and mergo, to plunge.]

1. To plunge into or under a fluid. [See Immerse, which is generally used.]

2. verb intransitive To enter the light of the sun, as a star, or the shadow of the earth, as the moon.

IMMER'IT, noun Want of worth. [Not used.]

IMMER'ITED, adjective Unmerited. [Not used.]

IMMER'ITOUS, adjective Undeserving. [Not used.]

IMMERSE, verb transitive immers'. [Latin immersus, from immergo; in and mergo, to plunge.]

1. To put under water or other fluid; to plunge; to dip.

2. To sink or cover deep; to cover wholly; as, to be immersed in a wood.

3. To plunge; to overwhelm; to involve; to engage deeply; as, to immerse in business or cares.

It is impossible for a man to have a lively hope in another life, and yet be deeply immersed in the enjoyment of this.

IMMERS'ED, participle passive Put into a fluid; plunged; deeply engaged; enveloped in the light of the sun, as a star, or in the shadow of the earth, as the moon.

IMMERS'ING, participle present tense Plunging into a fluid; dipping; overwhelming; deeply engaging.

IMMER'SION, noun The act of putting into a fluid below the surface; the act of plunging into a fluid till covered.

1. The state of sinking into a fluid.

2. The state of being overwhelmed or deeply engaged; as an immersion in the affairs of life.

3. In astronomy, the act of entering into the light of the sun, as a star, so as to be enveloped and invisible to the eye; or the state of being so enveloped. Also, the entrance of the moon into the shadow of the earth, at the commencement of an eclipse; or the state of being enveloped in the shadow. It is opposed to emersion.

The time when a star or planet is so near the sun as to be invisible; also, the moment when the moon begins to be darkened, and to enter the shadow of the earth.

IMMESH', verb transitive [in and mesh.] To entangle in the meshes of a net, or in a web. Observe whether the fly is completely immeshed. The spider used his efforts to immesh the scorpion.

IMMESH'ED, participle passive Entangled in meshes or webs.

IMMESH'ING, participle present tense Entangling in meshes or webs.

IMMETHOD'ICAL, adjective [in and methodical. See Method.]

Having no method; without systematic arrangement; without order or regularity; confused.

IMMETHOD'ICALLY, adverb Without order or regularity; irregularly.

IMMETHOD'ICALNESS, noun Want of method; confusion.

IM'MIGRANT, noun A person that removes into a country for the purpose of permanent residence.

IM'MIGRATE, verb intransitive [Latin immigro; in and migro, to migrate.]

To remove into a country for the purpose of permanent residence. [See Emigrate.]

IMMIGRA'TION, noun The passing or removing into a country for the purpose of permanent residence.

IM'MINENCE, noun [Latin imminentia, immineo, to hang over.]

Properly, a hanging over, but used by Shakespeare for impending evil or danger. [Little used.]

IM'MINENT, adjective [Latin imminens, from immineo, to hang over; in and minor, to threaten. See Menace.]

Literally, shooting over; hence, hanging over; impending; threatening; near; appearing as if about to fall on; used of evils; as imminent danger; imminent judgments, evils or death.

IMMIN'GLE, verb transitive [in and mingle.] To mingle; to mix; to unite with numbers.

IMMIN'GLED, participle passive Mixed; mingled.

IMMIN'GLING, participle present tense Mixing; mingling.

IMMINU'TION, noun [Latin imminutio, imminuo; in and minuo, to lessen.] A lessening; diminution; decrease.

IMMISCIBIL'ITY, noun [Latin immisceo; in and misceo, to mix.] Incapacity of being mixed.

IMMIS'CIBLE, adjective [in and miscible.] Not capable of being mixed.

IMMIS'SION, noun [Latin immissio, immitto; in and mitto, to send.]

The act of sending or thrusting in; injection; contrary to emission.

IMMIT', verb transitive [Latin immitto; in and mitto, to send.] To send in; to inject.

IMMIT'IGABLE, adjective [in and mitigate.] That cannot be mitigated or appeased.

IMMIX', verb transitive [in and mix.] To mix; to mingle.

IMMIX'ABLE, adjective Not capable of being mixed.

IMMIX'ED

IMMIXT', adjective Unmixed.

IMMIXT', a. Unmixed.

IMMOBIL'ITY, noun [Latin immobilitas, from immobilis; in and mobilis, from moveo, to move.] Unmovableness; fixedness in place or state; resistance to motion.

IMMOD'ERACY, noun Excess.

IMMOD'ERATE, adjective [Latin immoderatus; in and moderatus. See Moderate.]

Exceeding just or usual bounds; not confined to suitable limits; excessive; extravagant; unreasonable; as immoderate demands; immoderate passions, cares or grief.

IMMOD'ERATELY, adverb Excessively; to an undue degree; unreasonably; as, to weep immoderately

IMMOD'ERATENESS, noun Excess; extravagance.

IMMOD'ERATION, noun Excess; want of moderation.

IMMOD'EST, adjective [Latin immodestus; in and modestus, modest. See the latter.]

1. Literally, not limited to due bounds. Hence, in a general sense, immoderate; exorbitant, unreasonable; arrogant.

2. Appropriately, wanting in the reserve or restraint which decency requires; wanting in decency and delicacy. It is immodest in decency and delicacy. It is immodest to treat superiors with the familiarity that is customary among equals.

3. Wanting in chastity; unchaste; lewd; as an immodest female.

4. Impure; indelicate; as an immodest thought.

5. Obscene; as an immodest word.

IMMOD'ESTLY, adverb Without due reserve; indecently; unchastely; obscenely.

IMMOD'ESTY, noun [Latin immodestia.] Want of modesty; indecency; unchastity.

1. Want of delicacy or decent reserve.

IM'MOLATE, verb transitive [Latin immolo, to sacrifice; in and mola, meal sprinkled with salt, which was thrown on the head of the victim.]

1. To sacrifice; to kill, as a victim offered in sacrifice.

2. To offer in sacrifice.

Now immolate the tongues and mix the wine.

IM'MOLATED, participle passive Sacrificed; offered in sacrifice.

From the same altar on which the small states shall be immolated will rise the smoke of sacrificed liberty, and despotism must be the dreadful successor.

IM'MOLATING, participle present tense Sacrificing; offering, as a victim.

IMMOLA'TION, noun The act of sacrificing.

1. A sacrifice offered.

IM'MOLATOR, noun One who offers in sacrifice.

IMMO'MENT, adjective Trifling.

IMMOMENT'OUS, adjective Unimportant.

IMMOR'AL, adjective [in and moral.] Inconsistent with moral rectitude; contrary to the moral or divine law; wicked; unjust; dishonest; vicious. Every action is immoral which contravenes any divine precept, or which is contrary to the duties which men owe to each other.

1. Wicked or unjust in practice; vicious; dishonest; as an immoral man. Every man who violates a divine law or a social duty, is immoral but we particularly apply the term to a person who habitually violates the laws.

IMMORAL'ITY, noun Any act or practice which contravenes the divine commands or the social duties. Injustice, dishonesty, fraud, slander, profaneness, gaming, intemperance, lewdness, are immoralities. All crimes are immoralities; but crime expresses more than immorality

IMMOR'ALLY, adverb Wickedly; viciously; in violation of law or duty.

IMMORIG'EROUS, adjective [Low Latin immoriger.] Rude; uncivil.

IMMORIG'EROUSNESS, noun Rudeness; disobedience.

IMMOR'TAL, adjective [Latin immortalis. See Mortal.]

1. Having no principle of alteration or corruption; exempt from death; having life or being that shall never end; as an immortal soul.

To the King eternal, immortal invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever. 1 Timothy 1:17.

2. Never ending; everlasting; continual.

I have

Immortal longings in me.

3. Perpetual; having unlimited existence.

A corporation is called an immortal being.

4. Destined to live in all the ages of this world; imperishable; as immortal fame.

So Homer is called the immortal bard.

IMMORTAL'ITY, noun The quality of never ceasing to live or exist; exemption from death and annihilation; life destined to endure without end; as the immortality of the human soul.

--Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10.

1. Exemption from oblivion.

2. Perpetuity; existence not limited; as the immortality of a corporation.

IMMORTALIZA'TION, noun The act of immortalizing.

IMMOR'TALIZE, verb transitive

1. To render immortal; to make perpetual; to cause to live or exist while the world shall endure. The Iliad has immortalized the name of Homer.

Alexander had no Homer to immortalize his guilty name.

2. To exempt from oblivion; to make perpetual.

IMMOR'TALIZE, verb intransitive To become immortal. [Not in use.]

IMMOR'TALIZED, participle passive Rendered immortal or perpetual.

IMMOR'TALIZING, participle present tense Making immortal or perpetual.

IMMOR'TALLY, adverb With endless existence; with exemption from death.

IMMORTIFICA'TION, noun [in and mortification.] Want of subjection of the passions.

IMMOVABIL'ITY, noun Steadfastness that cannot be moved or shaken.

IMMOV'ABLE, adjective [in and movable.] That cannot be moved from its place; as an immovable foundation.

1. Not to be moved from a purpose; steadfast; fixed; that cannot be induced to change or alter; as a man who remains immovable

2. That cannot be altered or shaken; unalterable; unchangeable; as an immovable purpose or resolution.

3. That cannot be affected or moved; not impressible; not susceptible of compassion or tender feelings; unfeeling.

4. Fixed; not liable to be removed; permanent in place; as immovable estate.

5. Not to be shaken or agitated.

IMMOV'ABLENESS, noun The quality of being immovable.

IMMOV'ABLY, adverb In a manner not to be moved from its place or purpose; or in a manner not to be shaken; unalterably; unchangeably. immovably firm to their duty; immovably fixed or established.

IMMUND', adjective [Latin immundus.] Unclean.

IMMUNDIC'ITY, noun Uncleanness.

IMMU'NITY, noun [Latin immuinitas, from immunis, free, exempt; in and munus, charge, office, duty.]

1. Freedom or exemption from obligation. To be exempted from observing the rites or duties of the church, is an immunity

2. Exemption from any charge, duty, office, tax or imposition; a particular privilege; as the immunities of the free cities of Germany; the immunities of the clergy.

3. Freedom; as an immunity from error.

IMMU'RE, verb transitive [Latin in and murus, a wall.]

1. To inclose within walls; to shut up; to confine; as, to immure nuns in cloisters.

The student immures himself voluntarily.

2. To wall; to surround with walls.

Lysimachus immured it with a wall. [Not usual.]

3. To imprison.

IMMU'RE, noun A wall. [Not used.]

IMMU'RED, participle passive Confined within walls.

IMMU'SICAL, adjective [in and musical.] Not musical; inharmonious; not accordant; harsh.

IMMUTABIL'ITY, noun [Latin immutabilitas; in and mutabilis, mutable, from muto, to change.]

Unchangeableness; the quality that renders change or alteration impossible; invariableness. immutability is an attribute of God.

IMMU'TABLE, adjective [Latin immutabilis; in and mutabilis.]invariable; unalterable; not capable or susceptible of change.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. Hebrews 6:18.

IMMU'TABLENESS, noun Unchangeableness; immutability.

IMMU'TABLY, adverb Unchangeably; unalterably; invariably; in a manner that admits of no change.

IMMU'TATE, adjective [Latin immutatus.] Unchanged.

IMMUTA'TION, noun [Latin immutatio.] Change; alteration.

IMP, noun

1. A son; offspring; progeny.

The tender imp was weaned.

A lad of life, an imp of fame.

2. A subaltern or puny devil.

IMP, verb transitive

1. To graft.

2. To lengthen; to extend or enlarge by something inserted or added; a term originally used by falconers, who repair a hawk's wing by adding feathers.

IMP out our drooping country's broken wings.

--The false north displays

Her broken league to imp her serpent wings.

This verb is, I believe, used only in poetry.

IMPA'CABLE, adjective [Latin in and paco, to appease.]

Not to be appeased or quieted.

IMPACT', verb transitive [Latin impactus, from impingo; in and pango, to drive.]

To drive close; to press or drive firmly together.

IM'PACT, noun Touch; impression.

IMPACT'ED, participle passive Driven hard; made close by driving.

IMPA'INT, verb transitive To paint; to adorn with colors.

IMPA'IR, verb transitive [Latin pejor.]

1. To make worse; to diminish in quantity, value or excellence. An estate is impaired by extravagance or neglect. The profligate impairs his estate and his reputation.

Imprudence impairs a man's usefulness.

2. To weaken; to enfeeble. The constitution is impaired by intemperance, by infirmity and by age. The force of evidence may be impaired by the suspicion of interest in the witness.

IMPA'IR, verb intransitive To be lessened or worn out. [Little used.]

IM'PAIR, adjective [Latin impar, unequal.] In crystallography, when a different number of faces is presented by the prism, and by each summit; but the three numbers follow no law of progression.

IMPA'IR

IMPA'IRED, participle passive Diminished; injured; weakened.

IMPA'IRER, noun He or that which impairs.

IMPA'IRING, participle present tense Making worse; lessening; injuring; enfeebling.

IMPA'IRMENT, noun Diminution; decrease; injury. [Not used.]

IMPAL'ATABLE, adjective Unpalatable. [Little used.]

IMPA'LE, verb transitive [Latin in and palus, a pole, a stake.]

1. To fix on a stake; to put to death by fixing on an upright sharp stake. [See Empale.]

2. To inclose with stakes, posts or palisades.

3. In heraldry, to join two coats of arms pale-wise.

IMPAL'LID, verb transitive To make pallid or pale. [Not in use.]

IMP'ALM, verb transitive imp'am. [Latin in and palma, the hand.]

To grasp; to take in the hand.

IMPALPABIL'ITY, noun The quality of not being palpable, or perceptible by the touch.

IMPAL'PABLE, adjective [Latin in and palpo, to feel. [See Palpable.]

Not to be felt; that cannot be perceived by the touch; as an impalpable powder, whose parts are so minute that they cannot be distinguished by the senses, particularly by feeling.

1. Not coarse or gross.

IMPAL'SY, verb transitive s as z. [in and palsy.] To strike with palsy; to paralyze; to deaden.

IM'PANATE, adjective [Latin in and panis, bread.] Embodied in bread.

IM'PANATE, verb transitive To embody with bread.

IMPANA'TION, noun The supposed substantial presence of the body and blood of Christ, with the substance of the bread and wine, after consecration, in the eucharist; a tenet of the Lutheran church; otherwise called consubstantiation.

IMPAN'NEL, verb transitive [in and pannel.] To write or enter the names of a jury in a list or on a piece of parchment, called a pannel; to form, complete or enroll a list of jurors in a court of justice.

IMPAN'NELED, participle passive Having the names entered in a pannel; formed, as a jury.

IMPAN'NELING, participle present tense Writing the names of a pannel; forming, as a jury.

IMPAR'ADISE, verb transitive To put in a place of felicity; to make happy.

IMPAR'ADISED, participle passive Placed in a condition resembling that of paradise; made happy.

IMPAR'ADISING, participle present tense Making very happy.

IMPAR'ALLELED, adjective Unparalleled. [Not used.]

IMPARASYLLAB'IC, adjective [Latin in, par, and syllaba.]

Not consisting of an equal number of syllables. An imparasyllabic noun is one which has not the same number of syllables in all the cases; as lapis, lapidis; mens, mentis.

IMP'ARDONABLE, adjective Unpardonable.

IMPAR'ITY, noun [in and parity; Latin par, equal.]

1. Inequality; disproportion.

2. Oddness; indivisibility into equal parts.

3. Difference of degree, rank or excellence.

IMP'ARK, verb transitive [in and park.] To inclose for a park; to make a park by inclosure; to sever from a common.

IMP'ARL, verb intransitive To hold mutual discourse; appropriately, in law, to have license to settle a lawsuit amicably; to have delay for mutual adjustment.

IMP'ARLANCE, noun Properly, leave for mutual discourse; appropriately, in law, the license or privilege of a defendant, granted on motion, to have delay of trial, to see if he can settle the matter amicably by talking with the plaintiff, and thus to determine what answer he shall make to the plaintiff's action. Hence,

1. The continuance of a cause till another day, or from day to day.

IMPARSONEE', adjective A parson imparsonee is a parson presented, instituted and inducted into a rectory, and in full possession.

IMP'ART, verb transitive [Latin impertior; in and partio, to divide; from pars, a part.]

1. To give, grant or communicate; to bestow on another a share or portion of something; as, to impart a portion of provisions to the poor.

2. To grant; to give; to confer; as, to impart honor or favor.

3. To communicate the knowledge of something; to make known; to show by words or tokens.

Gentle lady,

When first I did impart my love to you--

IMP'ARTANCE, noun Communication of a share; grant.

IMPARTA'TION, noun The act of imparting or conferring. [Not much used.]

IMP'ARTED, participle passive Communicated; granted; conferred.

IMP'ARTIAL, adjective [in and partial, from part, Latin pars.]

1. Not partial; not biased in favor of one party more than another; indifferent; unprejudiced; disinterested; as an impartial judge or arbitrator.

2. Not favoring one party more than another; equitable; just; as an impartial judgment or decision; an impartial opinion.

IMP'ARTIALIST, noun One who is impartial. [Little used.]

IMPARTIAL'ITY, noun imparshal'ity. Indifference of opinion or judgment; freedom from bias in favor of one side or party more than another; disinterestedness.

Impartiality is indispensable to an upright judge.

1. Equitableness; justice; as the impartiality of a decision.

IMP'ARTIALLY, adverb Without bias of judgment; without prejudice; without inclination to favor one party or side more than another; equitably; justly.

IMPARTIBIL'ITY, noun The quality of not being subject to partition.

1. The quality of being capable of being communicated.

IMP'ARTIBLE, adjective

1. Not partible or subject to partition; as an impartible estate.

2. [from impart.] That may be imparted, conferred, bestowed or communicated.

IMP'ARTING, participle present tense Communicating; granting; bestowing.

IMP'ARTMENT, noun The act of imparting; the communication of knowledge; disclosure.

IMP'ASSABLE, adjective [in and passable. See Pass.]

That cannot be passed; not admitting a passage; as an impassable road, mountain or gulf.

IMP'ASSABLENESS, noun The state of being impassable.

IMP'ASSABLY, adverb In a manner or degree that prevents passing, or the power of passing.

IMPASSIBIL'ITY

IMPAS'SIBLE, adjective [Latin impassibilis, from passus, patior, to suffer.]

Incapable of pain, passion or suffering; that cannot be affected with pain or uneasiness. Whatever is destitute of sensation is impassible.

Though naked and impassible, depart.

IMPAS'SIBLE, a. [L. impassibilis, from passus, patior, to suffer.]

Incapable of pain, passion or suffering; that cannot be affected with pain or uneasiness. Whatever is destitute of sensation is impassible.

IMPAS'SIBLENESS, noun [from impassible.]

Exemption from pain or suffering; insusceptibility of injury from external things.

IMPAS'SION, verb transitive [in and passion.] To move or affect strongly with passion.

IMPAS'SIONATE, verb transitive To affect powerfully.

IMPAS'SIONATE, adjective Strongly affected.

1. Without passion or feeling.

IMPAS'SIONED, adjective Actuated or agitated by passion.

The tempter all impassioned thus began.

1. Animated; excited; having the feelings warmed; as an impassioned orator.

2. Animated; expressive of passion or ardor; as an impassioned discourse.

IMPAS'SIVE, adjective [Latin in and passus, patior, to suffer.]

Not susceptible of pain or suffering; as the impassive air; impassive ice.

IMPAS'SIVELY, adverb Without sensibility to pain or suffering.

IMPAS'SIVENESS, noun The state of being insusceptible of pain.

IMPASSIV'ITY, noun The quality of being insusceptible of feeling, pain or suffering.

IMPASTA'TION, noun [in and paste.] The mixtion of various materials of different colors and consistences, baked or united by a cement, and hardened by the air or by fire.

IMPA'STE, verb transitive

1. To knead; to make into paste.

2. In painting, to lay on colors thick and bold.

IMPA'STED, adjective Concreted, as into paste.

1. Pasted over; covered with paste, or with thick paint.

IMPAT'IBLE, adjective [Latin impatibilis.] Intolerable; that cannot be borne.

IMPA'TIENCE, noun [Latin impatientia, from impatiens; in and patior, to suffer.] Uneasiness under pain or suffering; the not enduring pain with composure; restlessness occasioned by suffering positive evil, or the absence of expected good. impatience is not rage, nor absolute inability to bear pain; but it implies want of fortitude, or of its exercise. It usually springs from irritability of temper.

IMPA'TIENT, adjective [Latin impatiens.] Uneasy or fretful under suffering; not bearing pain with composure; not enduring evil without fretfulness, uneasiness, and a desire or effort to get rid of the evil. Young men are impatient of restraint. We are all apt to be impatient under wrongs; but it is a christian duty not to be impatient in sickness, or under any afflictive dispensation of Providence.

1. Not suffering quietly; not enduring.

Fame, impatient of extremes, decays

Not more by envy than excess of praise.

2. Hasty; eager; not enduring delay. The impatient man will not wait for information; he often acts with precipitance. Be not impatient for the return of spring.

3. Not to be borne; as impatient smart.

This word is followed by of, at, for, or under. We are impatient of restraint, or of wrongs; impatient at the delay of expected good; impatient for the return of a friend, or for the arrival of the mail; impatient under evils of any kind. The proper use of these particles can be learnt only by practice or observation.

IMPA'TIENT, noun One who is restless under suffering.

IMPA'TIENTLY, adverb With uneasiness or restlessness; as, to bear disappointment impatiently

1. With eager desire causing uneasiness; as, to wait impatiently for the arrival of one's friend.

2. Passionately; ardently.

IMPATRONIZA'TION, noun Absolute seignory or possession.

IMPAT'RONIZE, verb transitive To gain to one's self the power of any seignory.

IMPAWN', verb transitive [in and pawn.] To pawn; to pledge; to deposit as security.

IMPE'ACH, verb transitive [Latin pango, pactus.]

1. To hinder; to impede. This sense is found in our early writers.

These ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land.

A defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance.

[This application of the word is obsolete.]

2. To accuse; to charge with a crime or misdemeanor; but appropriately, to exhibit charges of maladministration against a public officer before a competent tribunal, that is, to send or put on, to load. The word is now restricted to accusations made by authority; as, to impeach a judge. [See Impeachment.]

3. To accuse; to censure; to call in question; as, to impeach one's motives or conduct.

4. To call to account; to charge as answerable.

IMPE'ACH, noun Hinderance.

IMPE'ACHABLE, adjective Liable to accusation; chargeable with a crime; accusable; censurable.

1. Liable to be called in question; accountable.

Owners of lands in fee simple are not impeachable for waste.

IMPE'ACHED, participle passive Hindered.

1. Accused; charged with a crime, misdemeanor or wrong; censured.

The first donee in tail may commit waste, without being impeached

IMPE'ACHER, noun An accuser by authority; one who calls in question.

IMPE'ACHING, participle present tense Hindering.

1. Accusing by authority; calling in question the purity or rectitude of conduct or motives.

IMPE'ACHMENT, noun Hinderance; impediment; stop; obstruction.

1. An accusation or charge brought against a public officer for maladministration in his office. In Great Britain, it is the privilege or right of the house of commons to impeach, and the right of the house of lords to try and determine impeachments. In the U. States, it is the right of the house of representatives to impeach, and of the senate to try and determine impeachments. In Great Britain, the house of peers, and in the U. States, the senate of the U.States, and the senates in the several states, are the high courts of impeachment

2. The act of impeaching.

3. Censure; accusation; a calling in question the purity of motives or the rectitude of conduct, etc. This declaration is no impeachment of his motives or of his judgment.

4. The act of calling to account, as for waste.

5. The state of being liable to account, as for waste.

IMPEARL, verb transitive imperl'. [in and pearl.] To form in the resemblance of pearls.

--Dew-drops which the sun

IMPEARLs on every leaf, and every flower.

1. To decorate with pearls, or with things resembling pearls.

The dews of the morning impearl every thorn.

IMPECCABIL'ITY

IMPEC'CABLE, adjective [Latin pecco, to err, to sin.] Not liable to sin; not subject to sin; exempt from the possibility of sinning. No mere man is impeccable.

IMPEC'CABLE, a. [L. pecco, to err, to sin.] Not liable to sin; not subject to sin; exempt from the possibility of sinning. No mere man is impeccable.

IMPEC'CANCY, noun [See Impeccable.] The quality of not being liable to sin; exemption from sin, error or offense.

IMPE'DE, verb transitive [Latin impedio; supposed to be compounded of in and pedes, feet, to catch or entangle the feet.]

To hinder; to stop in progress; to obstruct; as, to impede the progress of troops.

IMPE'DED, participle passive Hindered; stopped; obstructed.

IMPED'IMENT, noun [Latin impedimentum.] That which hinders progress or motion; hinderance; obstruction; obstacle; applicable to every subject, physical or moral. Bad roads are impediments in marching and travelling. Idleness and dissipation are impediments to improvement. The cares of life are impediments to the progress of vital religion.

1. That which prevents distinct articulation; as an impediment in speech.

IMPED'IMENT, verb transitive To impede. [Not in use.]

IMPEDIMENT'AL, adjective Hindering; obstructing.

IMPE'DING, participle present tense Hindering; stopping; obstructing.

IM'PEDITE, verb transitive To impede. [Not in use.]

IMPED'ITIVE, adjective Causing hinderance.

IMPEL', verb transitive [Latin impello; in and pello, to drive.]

To drive or urge forward; to press on; to excite to action or to move forward, by the application of physical force, or moral suasion or necessity. A ball is impelled by the force of powder; a ship is impelled by wind; a man may be impelled by hunger or a regard to his safety; motives of policy or of safety impel nations to confederate.

The surge impelled me on a craggy coast.

And several men impel to several ends.

IMPEL'LED, participle passive Driven forward; urged on; moved by any force or power, physical or moral.

IMPEL'LENT, noun A power or force that drives forward; impulsive power.

IMPEL'LER, noun He or that which impels.

IMPEL'LING, participle present tense Driving forward; urging; pressing.

IMPEN', verb transitive [in and pen.] To pen; to shut or inclose in a narrow place.

IMPEND', verb intransitive [Latin impendeo; in and pendeo, to hang.]

1. To hang over; to be suspended above; to threaten. A dark cloud impends over the land.

Destruction sure o'er all your heads impends.

2. To be near; to be approaching and ready to fall on.

It expresses our deep sense of God; s impending wrath.

Nor bear advices of impending foes.

IMPEND'ENCE

IMPEND'ENCY, noun The state of hanging over; near approach; a menacing attitude.

IMPEND'ENCY, n. The state of hanging over; near approach; a menacing attitude.

IMPEND'ENT, adjective Hanging over; imminent; threatening; pressing closely; as an impendent evil.

IMPEND'ING, participle present tense Hanging over; approaching near; threatening.

IMPENETRABIL'ITY, noun [from impenetrable.]

1. The quality of being impenetrable.

2. In philosophy, that quality of matter which prevents two bodies from occupying the same space at the same time.

3. Insusceptibility of intellectual impression.

IMPEN'ETRABLE, adjective [Latin impenetrabilis; in and penetrabilis, from penetro, to penetrate.]

1. That cannot be penetrated or pierced; not admitting the passage of other bodies; as an impenetrable shield.

2. Not to be affected or moved; not admitting impressions on the mind. The hardened sinner remains impenetrable to the admonitions of the gospel.

3. Not to be entered by the sight; as impenetrable darkness. Hence,

4. Not to be entered and viewed by the eye of the intellect; as impenetrable obscurity or abstruseness.

IMPEN'ETRABLENESS, noun Impenetrability, which see.

IMPEN'ETRABLY, adverb With solidity that admits not of being penetrated.

1. With hardness that admits not of impression; as impenetrably dull.

IMPEN'ITENCE

IMPEN'ITENCY, noun [Latin in and poenitens, from poeniteo, to repent, poena, pain.] Want of penitence or repentance; absence of contrition or sorrow for sin; obduracy; hardness of heart. Final impenitence dooms the sinner to inevitable punishment.

He will advance from one degree of impenitence to another.

IMPEN'ITENCY, n. [L. in and poenitens, from poeniteo, to repent, poena, pain.] Want of penitence or repentance; absence of contrition or sorrow for sin; obduracy; hardness of heart. Final impenitence dooms the sinner to inevitable punishment.

IMPEN'ITENT, adjective Not penitent; not repenting of sin; not contrite; obdurate; of a hard heart.

They died impenitent

IMPEN'ITENT, noun One who does not repent; a hardened sinner.

IMPEN'ITENTLY, adverb Without repentance or contrition for sin; obdurately.

IMPEN'NOUS, adjective [in and pennous.] Wanting wings.

IMPE'OPLE, verb transitive To form into a community. [See People.]

IM'PERATE, adjective [Latin imperatus, impero, to command.]

Done by impulse or direction of the mind. [Not used.]

IMPER'ATIVE, adjective [Latin imperativus, from impero, to command. See Empire.]

1. Commanding; expressive of command; containing positive command, as distinguished from advisory, or discretionary. The orders are imperative

2. In grammar, the imperative mode of a verb is that which expresses command, entreaty, advice or exhortation; as, go, write, attend.

IMPER'ATIVELY, adverb With command; authoritatively.

IMPERATO'RIAL, adjective Commanding. [Not in use.]

IMPERCEP'TIBLE, adjective

1. Not to be perceived; not to be known or discovered by the senses. We say a thing is imperceptible to the touch, to the eye or sight, to the ear, to the taste or smell. Hence,

2. Very small; fine; minute in dimensions; or very slow in motion or progress; as, the growth of a plant or animal is imperceptible; it is too slow to be perceived by the eye.

IMPERCEP'TIBLE, noun That which cannot be perceived by the senses on account of its smallness. [Little used.]

IMPERCEP'TIBLENESS, noun The quality of being imperceptible.

IMPERCEP'TIBLY, adverb In a manner not to be perceived.

IMPERCIP'IENT, adjective Not perceiving or having power to perceive.

IMPER'DIBLE, adjective Not destructible. [Not a legitimate word.]

IMPER'FECT, adjective [Latin imperfectus; in and perfectus, finished, perfect; perficio, to perfect; per and facio, to make.]

1. Not finished; not complete. The work or design is imperfect

2. Defective; not entire, sound or whole; wanting a part; impaired. The writings of Livy are imperfect

3. Not perfect in intellect; liable to err; as, men are imperfect; our minds and understandings are imperfect

4. Not perfect in a moral view; not according to the laws of God, or the rules of right. Our services and obedience are imperfect

5. In grammar, the imperfect tense denotes an action in time past, then present, but not finished.

6. In music, incomplete; not having all the accessary sounds; as an imperfect chord.

An imperfect interval is one which does not contain its complement of simple sounds.

IMPERFEC'TION, noun [Latin imperfectio, supra.]

Defect; fault; the want of a part or of something necessary to complete a thing; equally applicable to physical or moral subjects. When fruit fails to come to maturity, and after it begins to decay, we denominate the defect, an imperfection Laws sometimes fail of the intended effect, either from their imperfection or from the imperfection of the administration. Men are all chargeable with imperfections, both in character and in conduct.

IMPER'FECTLY, adverb In an imperfect manner or degree; not fully; not entirely; not completely; not in the best manner; not without fault or failure.

IMPER'FECTNESS, noun The state of being imperfect.

IMPER'FORATE, adjective [Latin in and perforatus, perforo.]

Not perforated or pierced; having no opening.

IMPER'FORATED, adjective Not perforated.

1. Having no pores.

IMPERFORA'TION, noun The state of being not perforated, or without any aperture.

IMPER'FORBLE, adjective [infra.] That cannot be perforated or bored through.

IMPE'RIAL, adjective [Latin imperialis, from impero, to command. See Emperor.]

1. Pertaining to an empire, or to an emperor; as an imperial government; an imperial diadem; imperial authority or edict; imperial power or sway.

2. Royal; belonging to a monarch; as an imperial palace; imperial arts.

3. Pertaining to royalty; denoting sovereignty.

4. Commanding; maintaining supremacy; as the imperial democracy of Athens.

Imperial chamber, the sovereign court of the German empire.

Imperial city, a city in Germany which has no head but the emperor.

Imperial diet, an assembly of all the states of the German empire.

IMPE'RIALIST, noun One who belongs to an emperor; a subject or soldier of an emperor. The denomination, imperialists, is often given to the troops or armies of the emperor of Austria.

IMPERIAL'ITY, noun Imperial power.

1. The right of an emperor to a share of the produce of mines, etc.

The late empress having by ukases of grace, relinquished her imperialities on the private mines, viz. the tenths of the copper, iron, silver and gold--

IMPE'RIALLY, adverb In a royal manner.

IMPER'IL, verb transitive [in and peril.] To bring into danger.

IMPE'RIOUS, adjective [Latin imperiosus.]

1. Commanding; dictatorial; haughty; arrogant; overbearing; domineering; as an imperious tyrant; an imperious dictator; an imperious man; an imperious temper.

2. Commanding; indicating an imperious temper; authoritative; as imperious words.

3. Powerful; overbearing; not to be opposed by obstacles; as a man of a vast and imperious mind.

4. Commanding; urgent; pressing; as imperious love; imperious circumstances; imperious appetite.

5. Authoritative; commanding with rightful authority.

The commandment high and imperious in its claims.

IMPE'RIOUSLY, adverb With arrogance of command; with a haughty air of authority; in a domineering manner.

1. With urgency or force not to be opposed.

IMPE'RIOUSNESS, noun Authority; air of command.

1. Arrogance of command; haughtiness.

Imperiousness and severity is an ill way of treating men who have reason to guide them.

IMPER'ISHABLE, adjective Not subject to decay; not liable to perish; indestructible; enduring permanently; as an imperishable monument; imperishable renown.

Elegant discourses on virtue--will not supply the consolations of imperishable hope.

IMPER'ISHABLENESS, noun The quality of being imperishable.

IMPER'MANENCE, noun Want of permanence or continued duration.

IMPER'MANENT, adjective [in and permanent.] Not permanent; not enduring.

IMPERMEABIL'ITY, noun The quality of being impermeable by a fluid.

IMPER'MEABLE, adjective [Latin in and permeo; per and meo, to pass.]

Not to be passed through the pores by a fluid; as impermeable leather.

IMPER'SONAL, adjective [Latin impersonalis; in and personalis, from persona. See Person.]

In grammar, an impersonal verb is one which is not employed with the first and second persons, I and thou or you, we and ye, for nominatives, and which has no variation of ending to express them, but is used only with the termination of the third person singular, with it for a nominative in English, and without a nominative in Latin; as, it rains, it becomes us to be modest; Latin toedet; libet; pugnatur.

IMPERSONAL'ITY, noun Indistinction of personality.

IMPER'SONALLY, adverb In the manner of an impersonal verb.

IMPER'SONATE, verb transitive To personify.

IMPER'SONATED, adjective Made persons of. [See Personated.]

IMPERSPICU'ITY, noun Want of perspicuity, or clearness to the mind.

IMPERSPIC'UOUS, adjective [in and perspicuous.]

Not perspicuous; not clear; obscure.

IMPERSUA'SIBLE, adjective [Latin in and persuasibilis. See Persuade.]

Not to be moved by persuasion; not yielding to arguments.

IMPER'TINENCE

IMPER'TINENCY, noun [Latin impertinens; in and pertinens, pertineo, to pertain; per and teneo, to hold.]

1. That which is not pertinent; that which does not belong to the subject in hand; that which is of no weight.

2. The state of not being pertinent.

3. Folly; rambling thought. [Little used.]

4. Rudeness; improper intrusion; interference by word or conduct which is not consistent with the age or station of the person. [This is the most usual sense.]

We should avoid the vexation and impertinence of pedants.

5. A trifle, a thing of little or no value.

There are many subtile impertinencies learnt in schools-

IMPER'TINENCY, n. [L. impertinens; in and pertinens, pertineo, to pertain; per and teneo, to hold.]

IMPER'TINENT, adjective [Latin impertinens, supra.]

1. Not pertaining to the matter in hand; of no weight; having no bearing on the subject; as an impertinent remark.

2. Rude; intrusive; meddling with that which does not belong to the person; as an impertinent coxcomb.

3. Trifling; foolish; negligent of the present purpose.

IMPER'TINENT, noun An intruder; a meddler; one who interferes in what does not belong to him.

IMPER'TINENTLY, adverb Without relation to the matter in hand.

1. Officiously; intrusively; rudely.

IMPERTRANSIBIL'ITY, noun The quality of not being capable of being passed through.

IMPERTRAN'SIBLE, adjective [Latin in and pertranseo; per and transeo, to pass over or through; trans and eo, to go.]

Not to be passed through. [Little used.]

IMPERTURB'ABLE, adjective [Latin in and perturbo, to disturb; per and turbo.]

That cannot be disturbed or agitated; permanently quiet.

IMPERTURBA'TION, noun Freedom from agitation of mind; calmness.

IMPERTURB'ED, adjective Undisturbed. [Not in use.]

IMPER'VIOSLY, adverb In a manner to prevent passage or penetration.

IMPER'VIOUS, adjective [Latin impervius; in and pervius, passable; per and via, way.]

1. Not to be penetrated or passed through; impenetrable; as an impervious gulf; an impervious forest.

2. Not penetrable; not to be pierced by a pointed instrument; as an impervious shield.

3. Not penetrable by light; not permeable to fluids. Glass is pervious to light, but impervious to water. Paper is impervious to light. In the latter sense only, impervious is synonymous with impermeable.

IMPER'VIOUSNESS, noun The state of not admitting a passage.

IMPETIG'INOUS, adjective [Latin impetigo, a ringworm.]

Resembling the ring-worm or tetters; covered with scaled or scabs; scurfy.

IM'PETRABLE, adjective [See Impetrate.] That may be obtained by petition.

IM'PETRATE, verb transitive [Latin impetro.] To obtain by request or entreaty.

IMPETRA'TION, noun The act of obtaining by prayer or petition.

1. In law, the preobtaining of benefices from the church of Rome, which belonged to the disposal of the king and other lay patrons of the realm.

IM'PETRATIVE, adjective Obtaining; tending to obtain by entreaty.

IM'PETRATORY, adjective Beseeching; containing entreaty.

IMPETUOS'ITY, noun [See Impetuous.] A rushing with violence and great force; fury; violence.

1. Vehemence; furiousness of temper.

IMPET'UOUS, adjective [Latin impetuosus, from impetus, impeto; in and peto, to urge, to rush. See Bid.]

1. Rushing with great force and violence; moving rapidly; furious; forcible; fierce; raging; as an impetuous wind; an impetuous torrent.

2. Vehement of mind; fierce; hasty; passionate; violent; as a man of impetuous temper.

IMPET'UOUSLY, adverb Violently; fiercely; forcibly; with haste and force.

IMPET'UOUSNESS, noun A driving or rushing with haste and violence; furiousness; fury; violence.

1. Vehemence of temper; violence.

IM'PETUS, noun [Latin supra.] Force of motion; the force with which any body is driven or impelled.

1. The force with which one body in motion strikes another.

IMPIC'TURED, adjective Painted; impressed.

IMPIER. [See Umpire.]

IMPIERCEABLE, adjective impers'able. [in and pierce.]

Not to be pierced or penetrated.

IMPI'ETY, noun [Latin impietas; in and pietas, pius.]

1. Ungodliness; irreverence towards the Supreme being; contempt of the divine character and authority; neglect of the divine precepts. These constitute different degrees of impiety

2. Any act of wickedness, as blasphemy and scoffing at the Supreme Being, or at his authority; profaneness. Any expression of contempt for God or his laws, constitutes an impiety of the highest degree of criminality. Disobedience to the divine commands or neglect of duty implies contempt for his authority, and is therefore impiety impiety when it expresses the temper or disposition, has no plural; but it is otherwise when it expresses an act of wickedness, for all such acts are impieties.

IMPIG'NORATE, verb transitive To pledge or pawn. [Not in use.]

IMPIGNORA'TION, noun The act of pawning. [Not in use.]

IMPINGE, verb intransitive impinj'. [Latin impingo; in and pango, to strike. See Pack.] To fall against; to strike; to dash against; to clash upon.

The cause of reflection is not the impinging of light on the solid or impervious parts of bodies.

IMPING'ING, participle present tense Striking against.

IMPIN'GUATE, verb transitive [Latin in and pinguis, fat.]

To fatten; to make fat. [Not in use.]

IM'PIOUS, adjective [Latin impius; in and pius, pious.]

1. Irreverent towards the Supreme Being; wanting in veneration for God and his authority; irreligious; profane. The scoffer at God and his authority is impious The profane swear is impious

When vice prevails and impious men bear sway,

The post of honor is a private station.

2. Irreverent towards God; proceeding from or manifesting a contempt for the Supreme Being; tending to dishonor God or his laws, and bring them into contempt; as an impious deed; impious language; impious writings.

IM'PIOUSLY, adverb With irreverence for God, or contempt for his authority; profanely; wickedly.

IM'PIOUSNESS, noun Impiety; contempt of God and his laws.

IMPLACABIL'ITY

IMPLA'CABLE, adjective [Latin implacabilis; in and placabilis, from placo, to appease.]

1. Not to be appeased; that can not be pacified and rendered peaceable; inexorable; stubborn or constant in enmity; as an implacable prince.

2. Not to be appeased or subdued; as implacable anger; implacable enmity, malice or revenge.

IMPLA'CABLE, a. [L. implacabilis; in and placabilis, from placo, to appease.]

IMPLACABLENESS, noun [from implacable.] The quality of not being appeasable; inexorableness; irreconcilable enmity or anger.

IMPLA'CABLY, adverb With enmity not to be pacified or subdued; inexorably; as, to hate a person implacably

IMPLANT', verb transitive [in and plant, Latin planto.]

To set, plant or infix for the purpose of growth; as, to implant the seeds of virtue, or the principles of knowledge in the minds of youth; to implant grace in the heart. [It is now seldom or never used in its literal sense for setting plants or seeds in the earth.]

IMPLANTA'TION, noun The act of setting or infixing in the mind or heart, as principles or first rudiments.

IMPLANT'ED, participle passive Set, infixed in the mind, as principles or rudiments.

IMPLANT'ING, participle present tense Setting or infixing in the mind, as principles.

IMPLAUSIBIL'ITY, noun [from implausible.]

The quality of not being plausible or specious.

IMPLAUS'IBLE, adjective s as z. [in and plausible.]

Not specious; not wearing the appearance of truth or credibility, and not likely to be believed; as an implausible harangue.

IMPLAUS'IBLY, adverb Without an appearance of probability.

IMPLE'ACH, verb transitive [in and pleach.] To interweave. [Not in use.]

IMPLE'AD, verb transitive [in and plead.] To institute and prosecute a suit against one in court; to sue at law. The corporation shall have power to plead and be impleaded.

Let them implead one another. Acts 19:38.

IMPLE'ADED, participle passive Prosecuted; sued; subject to answer to a suit in court.

IMPLE'ADER, noun One who prosecutes another.

IMPLE'ADING, participle present tense Prosecuting a suit.

IMPLE'ASING, adjective Unpleasing. [Not in use.]

IMPLEDGE, verb transitive To pawn. [Not used.]

IM'PLEMENT, noun [Low Latin implementum, from impleo, to fill; in and pleo.]may supply wants; particularly, as now used, tools, utensils, vessels, instruments; the tools or instruments of labor; the vessels used in a kitchen, etc.; as the implements of trade or of husbandry. [It is a word of very extensive signification.]

IMPLE'TION, noun [Latin impleo, to fill; in and pleo.]

The act of filling; the state of being full.

The impletion is either in simple or compound flowers. The impletion of simple flowers, is by the increase either of the petals, or of the nectary.

IM'PLEX, adjective [Latin implexus. See Implicate.]

Infolded; intricate; entangled; complicated.

Every poem is simple or implex; it is called simple, when there is no change of fortune in it; implex when the fortune of the chief actor changes from bad to good, or from good to bad.

IMPLEX'ION, noun [See Implicate.] The act of infolding or involving; the state of being involved; involution. [Little used.]

IM'PLICATE, verb transitive [Latin implico, implicatus; in and plico, to fold.]

1. To infold; to involve; to entangle. [Seldom used in its literal sense.]

2. To involve; to bring into connection with; also, to show or prove to be connected or concerned; as, the evidence does not implicate the accused person in this conspiracy.

IM'PLICATED, participle passive Infolded; involved.

1. Involved; connected; concerned; proved to be concerned or to have had a part.

Twenty persons are implicated in the plot.

IM'PLICATING, participle present tense Involving; proving to be concerned.

IMPLICA'TION, noun [Latin implicatio, supra.]

1. The act of infolding or involving.

2. Involution; entanglement.

Three principal causes of firmness are, the grossness, the quiet contact, and the implication of the component parts.

3. An implying, or that which is implied, but not expressed; a tacit inference, or something fairly to be understood, though not expressed in words.

The doctors are, by implication of a different opinion.

IM'PLICATIVE, adjective Having implication.

IM'PLICATIVELY, adverb By implication.

IMPLIC'IT, adjective [Latin implicitus, from implico, supra.]

1. Infolded; entangled; complicated.

In his woolly fleece

I cling implicit [Little used.]

2. Implied; tacitly comprised; fairly to be understood, though not expressed in words; as an implicit contract or agreement.

3. Resting on another; trusting to the word or authority of another, without doubting or reserve, or without examining into the truth of the thing itself. Thus we give implicit credit or confidence to the declarations of a person of known veracity. We receive with implicit faith whatever God has clearly revealed.

IMPLIC'ITLY, adverb By inference deducible, but not expressed in words; virtually; in reality, but not in name.

He that denies the providence of God, implicitly denies his existence.

1. By connection with something else; dependently; with unreserved confidence; without doubting, or without examining evidence. We are disposed to believe implicitly what a man of veracity testifies.

Learn not to dispute the methods of his providence, but humbly and implicitly to acquiesce in and adore them.

IMPLIC'ITNESS, noun The state of being implicit; the state of trusting without reserve.

IMPLI'ED, participle passive [See Imply.] Involved; contained virtually, though not expressed; as an implied promise.

IMPLI'EDLY, adverb By implication.

IMPLORA'TION, noun Earnest supplication.

IMPLO'RE, verb transitive [Latin imploro; in and ploro, to cry out.]

1. To call upon or for, in supplication; to beseech; to pray earnestly; to petition with urgency; to entreat; as, to implore the forgiveness of sins; to implore mercy.

Imploring all the gods that reign above.

2. To ask earnestly; to beg.

IMPLO'RE, verb intransitive To entreat; to beg.

IMPLO'RE, noun Earnest supplication. [Not used.]

IMPLO'RED, participle passive Earnestly supplicated; besought.

IMPLO'RER, noun One who prays earnestly.

IMPLO'RING, participle present tense Beseeching; entreating; praying earnestly.

IMPLU'MED

IMPLU'MOUS, adjective Having no plumes or feathers.

IMPLU'MOUS, a. Having no plumes or feathers.

IMPLUNGE, verb transitive implunj'. To plunge; to immerse.

IMPLY', verb transitive [Latin implico; in and plico, to fold. See Implicate.]

1. Literally, to infold or involve; to wrap up.

2. To involve or contain in substance or essence, or by fair inference, or by construction of law, when not expressed in words.

Where a malicious act is proved, a malicious intention is implied.

When a man employs a laborer to work for him, or an agent to transact business for him, the act of hiring implies an obligation, and a promise that he shall pay him a reasonable reward for his services. Contracts are express or implied; express contracts are those in which an agreement or promise is expressed by words or in writing; implied contracts are such as arise from the presumption of law, or the justice and reason of the transaction.

IMPLY'ING, participle present tense Involving; containing in substance, or by fair inference, or by construction of law.

IMPOCK'ET, verb transitive To pocket. [Not used.]

IMPOIS'ON, verb transitive s as z. [See Poison.]

1. To poison; to impregnate with poison; to corrupt with poison.

2. To embitter; to impair; as, grief impoisons the pleasures of life.

3. To kill with poison.

IMPOIS'ONED, participle passive Poisoned; corrupted; embittered.

IMPOIS'ONING, participle present tense Poisoning; corrupting; embittering.

IMPOIS'ONMENT, noun The act of poisoning.

IM'POLARLY, adverb Not according to the direction of the poles. [Not used.]

IMPOL'ICY, noun [in and policy.] Inexpedience; unsuitableness to the end proposed; bad policy; defect of wisdom; a word applied to private as well as public affairs.

IMPOLI'TE, adjective [in and polite.] Not of polished manners; unpolite; uncivil; rude in manners.

IMPOLI'TELY, adverb Uncivilly.

IMPOLI'TENESS, noun Incivility; want of good manners.

IMPOLIT'ICAL, for impolitic, is obsolete.

IMPOL'ITICLY, adverb Not wisely; not with due forecast and prudence; in a manner to injure public or private interest.

IMPONDERABIL'ITY, noun Absolute levity; destitution of sensible weight.

IMPON'DERABLE

IMPON'DEROUS, adjective [in and ponderable, ponderous.]

Not having sensible weight.

IMPON'DEROUS, a. [in and ponderable, ponderous.]

Not having sensible weight.

IMPOOR', verb transitive [in and poor.] To impoverish. [Not in use.]

IMPOROS'ITY, noun [in and porosity.] Want of porosity; closeness of texture; compactness that excludes pores.

IMPO'ROUS, adjective Destitute of pores; very close or compact in texture; solid.

IMPO'RT, verb transitive [Latin importo; in and porto, to bar. See Bear.]

1. To bring from a foreign country or jurisdiction, or from another state, into one's own country, jurisdiction or state; opposed to export. We import teas and silks from China, wines from Spain and France, and dry goods from Great Britain. Great Britain imports cotton from American and India. We may say also that Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine import flour from the middle states.

2. To bear or convey, as signification or meaning; to mean; to signify; to imply. We are to understand by a term, what it clearly imports.

3. To be of weight to; to be of moment or consequence to; to bear on the interest of, or to have a bearing on.

Her length of sickness, with what else more serious

Importeth thee to know, this bears.

If I endure it, what imports it you?

IM'PORT, noun That which is borne or conveyed in words; meaning; signification; the sense which words are intended to convey to the understanding, or which they bear in sound interpretation. import differs from implication in this, that the meaning of a term or number of words in connection is less obscurely expressed. import depends less on inference or deduction than implication, and is also applied more frequently to a single word. In all philosophical discussions, it is useful to ascertain the import of the terms employed. In the construction of laws and treaties, we are to examine carefully the import of words and phrases.

1. That which is imported or brought into a country from another country or state; generally in the plural. Our imports exceed our exports; the balance must be paid in specie; hence the scarcity of coin.

2. Importance; weight; consequence. [Formerly accented on the second syllable.]

IMPO'RTABLE, adjective That may be imported.

1. Insupportable; not to be endured.

IMPORT'ANCE, noun

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

IMPORT'ANT, adjective Literally, bearing on or to. Hence, weighty; momentous; of great consequence; having a bearing on some interest, measure or result by which good or ill may be produced. Truth is important to happiness as well as to knowledge, but none so important as religious truth. The commerce of Great Britain is important to her navy, and her navy is important to her independence. Men often forget the important end for which they were created.

1. Bearing on; forcible; driving.

He fiercely at him flew,

And with important outrage him assailed.

2. Importunate. [Not used.]

IMPORT'ANTLY, adverb Weightily; forcibly.

IMPORTA'TION, noun

1. The act or practice of importing, or of bringing from another country or state; opposed to exportation. Nations forbid the importation of commodities which are produced or manufactured in sufficient abundance at home.

2. The ware or commodities imported.

The importations, this season, exceed those of the last.

3. Conveyance.

IMPO'RTED, participle passive Brought from another country or state.

IMPO'RTER, noun He that imports; the merchant who, by himself or his agent, brings goods from another country or state.

IMPO'RTING, participle present tense Bringing into one's own country or state from a foreign or distant state.

1. Bearing, as a signification; meaning.

2. Having weight or consequence.

IMPO'RTLESS, adjective Of no weight or consequence. [Not used.]

IMPORT'UNACY, noun The act of importuning; importunateness.

IMPORT'UNATE, adjective [Latin importunus. See Importune.]

1. Bearing on; pressing or urging in request or demand; urgent and pertinacious in solicitation; as an importunate suitor or petitioner.

2. Pressing; urgent; as an importunate demand.

3. Inciting urgently for gratification; as importunate passions and appetites.

IMPORT'UNATELY, adverb With urgent request; with pressing solicitation.

IMPORT'UNATENESS, noun Urgent and pressing solicitation.

IMPORT'UNATOR, noun One that importunes. [Not in use.]

IMPORTU'NE, verb transitive [Latin importunus; in and porto, to bear on.]

To request with urgency; to press with solicitation; to urge with frequent or unceasing application.

Their ministers and residents here have perpetually importuned the court with unreasonable demands.

IMPORTU'NE, adjective [Latin importunus. Formerly accented on the second syllable.]

1. Pressing in request; urgent; troublesome by frequent demands; vexatious; unreasonable.

2. Unseasonable.

[This word is obsolete; being superseded by importunate, unless perhaps in poetry.]

IMPORTU'NELY, adverb With urgent solicitation; incessantly; continually; troublesomely.

1. Unseasonably; improperly.

IMPORTU'NITY, noun [Latin importunitas.]

Pressing solicitation; urgent request; application for a claim or favor, which is urged with troublesome frequency or pertinacity. Men are sometimes overcome by the importunity of their wives or children.

IMPO'RTUOUS, adjective [Latin importuosus; in and portus.]

Without a port, haven or harbor.

IMPOSABLE, adjective That may be imposed or laid on.

IMPO'SE, verb transitive s as z. [Latin impositum, from impono; in and pono, to put. Pono, as written, belongs to Class Bn; and posui, positum, to Class Bs. or Bd. The latter coincide with Eng.put.]

1. To lay on; to set on; to lay on, as a burden, tax, toll, duty or penalty. The legislature imposes taxes for the support of government; toll is imposed on passengers to maintain roads, and penalties are imposed on those who violate the laws. God imposes no burdens on men which they are unable to bear.

On impious realms and barb'rous kings impose

Thy plagues--

2. To place over by authority or by force.

The Romans often imposed rapacious governors on their colonies and conquered countries.

3. To lay on, as a command; to enjoin, as a duty.

Thou on the deep imposest nobler laws.

Impose but your commands--

4. To fix on; to impute. [Little used.]

5. To lay on, as hands in the ceremony of ordination, or of confirmation.

6. To obtrude fallaciously.

Our poet thinks not fit

T' impose upon you what he writes for wit.

7. Among printers, to put the pages on the stone and fit on the chase, and thus prepare the form for the press.

To impose on, to deceive; to mislead by a trick or false pretense; vulgarly, to put upon. We are liable to be imposed on by others, and sometimes we impose on ourselves.

IMPO'SE, noun s as z. Command; injunction. [Not used.]

IMPO'SED, participle passive Laid on, as a tax, burden, duty or penalty; enjoined.

Imposes on, deceived.

IMPO'SER, noun One who lays on; one who enjoins.

--The imposers of these oaths might repent.

IMPO'SING, participle present tense Laying on; enjoining; deceiving.

1. Commanding; adapted to impress forcibly; as an imposing air or matter.

--Large and imposing edifices, embosomed in the groves of some rich valley.

IMPOSI'TION, noun s as z. [Latin impositio. See Impose.]

1. In a general sense, the act of laying on.

2. The act of laying on hands in the ceremony of ordination, when the bishop in the episcopal church, and the ministers in congregational churches, place their hands on the head of the person whom they are ordaining, while one prays for a blessing on his labors. The same ceremony is used in other cases.

3. The act of setting on or affixing to; as the imposition of names.

4. That which is imposed; a tax, toll, duty or excise laid by authority. Tyrants oppress their subjects with grievous impositions.

5. Injunction, as of a law or duty.

6. Constraint; oppression; burden.

Let it not be made, contrary to its own nature, the occasion of strife, a narrow spirit, and unreasonable impositions on the mind and practice.

7. Deception; imposture.

Being acquainted with his hand, I had no reason to suspect an imposition

8. A supernumerary exercise enjoined on students as a punishment.

IMPOSSIBIL'ITY, noun [from impossible.]

1. That which cannot be; the state of being not possible to exist. That a thing should be and not be at the same time, is an impossibility

2. Impracticability; the state or quality of being not feasible or possible to be done. That a man by his own strength should lift a ship of the line, is to him an impossibility as the means are inadequate to the end. [See Impossible.]

IMPOSS'IBLE, adjective [Latin impossibilis; in and possibilis, from possum, to be able.]

1. That cannot be. It is impossible that two and two should make five, or that a circle and a square make five, or that a circle and a square should be the same thing, or that a thing should be, and not be at the same time.

2. Impracticable; not feasible; that cannot be done.

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6.

There are two kinds of impossibilities; physical and moral. That is a physical impossibility, which is contrary to the law of nature. A thing is said to be morally impossible when in itself it is possible, but attended with difficulties or circumstances which give it the appearance of being impossible [See Possible, Practicable and Impracticable.]

IM'POST, noun [Latin impositum, impono.]

1. Any tax or tribute imposed by authority; particularly, a duty or tax laid by government on goods imported, and paid or secured by the importer at the time of importation. Imposts are also called customs.

2. In architecture, that part of a pillar in vaults and arches, on which the weight of the building rests; or the capital of a pillar, or cornice which crowns the pier and supports the first stone or part of an arch.

IMPOS'THUMATE, verb intransitive impos'tumate. [See Imposthume.]

To form an abscess; to gather; to collect pus or purulent matter in any part of an animal body.

IMPOS'THUMATE, verb transitive To affect with an imposthume or abscess.

IMPOS'THUMATED, participle passive Affected with an imposthume.

IMPOSTHUMA'TION, noun The act of forming an abscess; also, an abscess; an imposthume.

IMPOS'THUME, noun impos'tume. [This word is a corruption of apostem, Latin apostema; Gr. to separate, to withdraw, or to stand off; to stand.]

An abscess; a collection of pus or purulent matter in any part of an animal body.

[This word and its derivatives, being mere corruptions, might well be suffered to pass into oblivion.]

IMPOS'THUME, verb intransitive The same as imposthumate.

IMPOS'TOR, noun [Low Latin impostor from impono. See Impose.]

One who imposes on others; a person who assumes a character for the purpose of deception; a deceiver under a false character. It seems to be yet unsettled, whether Perkin Warbeck was an impostor A religious impostor may be one who assumes the character of a preacher, without authority; or one who falsely pretends to an extraordinary commission from heaven, and terrifies people with denunciations of judgments.

IMPOS'TURAGE, noun Imposition. [Not in use.]

IMPOS'TURE, noun [Latin impostura. See Impose.]

Deception practiced under a false or assumed character; fraud or imposition practiced by a false pretender.

--Form new legends,

And fill the world with follies and impostures.

IMPOS'TURED, adjective Having the nature of imposture.

IMPOS'TUROUS, adjective Deceitful. [Not used.]

IM'POTENCE,

IM'POTENCY, noun [Latin impotentia; in and potentia, from possum. See Power.]

1. Want of strength or power, animal or intellectual; weakness; feebleness; inability; imbecility; defect of power, natural or adventitious, to perform any thing.

Some were poor by the impotency of nature; as young fatherless children, old decrepit persons, idiots and cripples.

The impotence of exercising animal motion attends fevers.

2. Moral inability; the want of power or inclination to resist

or overcome habits and natural propensities.

3. Inability to beget.

4. Ungovernable passion; a Latin signification. [Little used.]

IM'POTENCY, n. [L. impotentia; in and potentia, from possum. See Power.]

or overcome habits and natural propensities.

IM'POTENT, adjective [Latin impotens.]

1. Weak; feeble; wanting strength or power; unable by nature, or disabled by disease or accident to perform any act.

I know thou wast not slow to hear,

Nor impotent to save.

2. Wanting the power of propagation, as males.

3. Wanting the power of restraint; not having the command over; as impotent of tongue.

IM'POTENT, noun One who is feeble, infirm, or languishing under disease.

IM'POTENTLY, adverb Weakly; without power over the passions.

IMPOUND', verb transitive [in and pound. See Pound.]

1. To put, shut or confine in a pound or close pen; as, to impound unruly or stray horses, cattle, etc.

2. To confine; to restrain within limits.

IMPOUND'ED, participle passive Confined in a pound.

IMPOUND'ER, noun One who impounds the beasts of another.

IMPOUND'ING, participle present tense Confining in a pound; restraining.

IMPOV'ERISH, verb transitive

1. To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence. Idleness and vice are sure to impoverish individuals and families.

2. To exhaust strength, richness or fertility; as, to impoverish land by frequent cropping.

IMPOV'ERISHED, participle passive Reduced to poverty; exhausted.

IMPOV'ERISHER, noun One who makes others poor.

1. That which impairs fertility.

IMPOV'ERISHING, participle present tense Making poor; exhausting.

IMPOV'ERISHMENT, noun Depauperation; a reducing to indigence; exhaustion; drain of wealth, richness or fertility.

IMPOWER. [See Empower.]

IMPRACTICABIL'ITY

IMPRAC'TICABLE, adjective [in and practicable. See Practice.]

1. That cannot be done or performed; infeasible; not to be effected by human means, or by the means proposed. It is impracticable for a man to lift a ton by his unassisted strength; but not impracticable for a man aided by a mechanical power.

2. Untractable; unmanageable; stubborn; as a fierce, impracticable nature.

3. That cannot be passed or traveled; as an impracticable road; a colloquial sense.

IMPRAC'TICABLE, a. [in and practicable. See Practice.]

IMPRAC'TICABLENESS, noun [See Impracticable.]

1. The state or quality of being beyond human power, or the means proposed; infeasibility.

2. Untractableness; stubbornness.

IMPRAC'TICABLY, adverb In a manner or degree that hinders practice.

--Morality not impracticably rigid.

IM'PRECATE, verb transitive [Latin imprecor; in and precor, to pray. See Pray.]

To invoke, as an evil on any one; to pray that a curse or calamity may fall on one's self or on another person.

IM'PRECATED, participle passive Invoked on one, as some evil.

IM'PRECATING, participle present tense Calling for evil on one's self or another.

IMPRECA'TION, noun [Latin imprecatio.] The act of imprecating, or invoking evil on any one; a prayer that a curse or calamity may fall on any one.

IM'PRECATORY, adjective Containing a prayer for evil to befall a person.

IMPRECIS'ION, noun s as z. [in and precision.]

Want of precision or exactness; defect of accuracy.

IMPRE'GN, verb transitive impre'ne. [Latin in and proegnans. See Pregnant.]

To impregnate; to infuse the seed of young, or other prolific principle. [Used in poetry. See Impregnate.]

IMPREG'NABLE, adjective

1. Not to be stormed, or taken by assault; that cannot be reduced by force; able to resist attack; as an impregnable fortress.

2. Not to be moved, impressed or shaken; invincible.

The man's affection remains wholly unconcerned and impregnable

IMPREG'NABLY, adverb In a manner to resist penetration or assault; in a manner to defy force; as a place impregnably fortified.

IMPREG'NATE, verb transitive [See Pregnant.]

1. To infuse the principle of conception; to make pregnant, as a female animal.

2. To deposit the fecundating dust of a flower on the pistils of a plant; to render prolific.

3. To infuse particles of one thing into another; to communicate the virtues or one thing to another, as in pharmacy, by mixture, digestion, etc.

IMPREG'NATE, adjective Impregnated; rendered prolific or fruitful.

IMPREG'NATED, adjective Made pregnant or prolific; fecundated; filled with something by mixture, etc.

IMPREG'NATING, participle present tense Infusing seed or pollen; rendering pregnant; fructifying; fecundating; filling by infusion or mixture.

IMPREGNA'TION, noun The act of fecundating and rendering fruitful; applied to animals or plants.

1. The communication of the particles or virtues of one thing to another.

2. That with which any thing is impregnated.

3. Saturation.

IMPREJU'DICATE, adjective [Latin in, proe, and judico.]

Not prejudged; unprejudiced; not prepossessed; impartial. [Not used.]

IMPREPARA'TION, noun [in and preparation.] Want of preparation; unpreparedness; unreadiness. [Little used.]

IMPRESCRIPTIBIL'ITY, noun The state of being independent of prescription; the state which renders a thing not liable to be lost or impaired by the prescription of another, or by one's own non-user.

IMPRESCRIP'TIBLE, adjective [Latin proescribo; proe and scribo, to write.]

That cannot be lost or impaired by non-user, or by the claims of another founded on prescription.

Rights of mere ability which a man may use or not at pleasure, without any person's having a right to prescribe to me on that subject, are imprescriptible

The rights of navigation, fishing, and others that may be exercised on the sea, belonging to the right of mere ability, are imprescriptible

IMPRESS', verb transitive [Latin impressum, from imprimo; in and premo, to press.]

1. To imprint; to stamp; to make a mark or figure on any thing by pressure; as, to impress coin with the figure of a man's head, or with that of any ox or sheep; to impress a figure on wax or clay.

2. To print, as books.

3. To mark; to indent.

4. To fix deep; as, to impress truth on the mind, or facts on the memory. Hence, to convict of sin.

5. To compel to enter into public service, as seamen; to seize and take into service by compulsion, as nurses in sickness. In this sense, we use press or impress indifferently.

6. To seize; to take for public service; as, to impress provisions.

IM'PRESS, noun A mark or indentation, made by pressure.

1. The figure or image of any thing made by pressure; stamp; likeness.

2. Mark of distinction; stamp; character.

God leaves us this general impress or character on the works of creation, that they were very good.

3. Device; motto.

To describe emblazoned shields,

IMPRESSes quaint--

4. The act of compelling to enter public service. [See Press.]

IMPRESS'ED, participle passive Imprinted; stamped; marked by pressure; compelled to enter public service; seized for public use; fixed in the mind; made sensible; convinced.

IMPRESSIBIL'ITY, noun The quality of being impressible.

IMPRESS'IBLE, adjective That may be impressed; that yields to pressure; that may receive impressions. Solid bodies are not easily impressible

1. That may be impressed; that may have its figure stamped on another body.

IMPRESS'ING, participle present tense Imprinting; stamping; fixing in the mind; compelling into service.

IMPRES'SION, noun [Latin impressio.] The act of impressing, as one body on another; as a figure made by impression

1. Mark; indentation; stamp made by pressure; as, a seal makes an impression on wax.

2. The effect which objects produce on the mind. Thus we say, the truths of the gospel make an impression on the mind; they make no impression or a deep and lasting impression The heart is impressed with love or gratitude. We lie open to the impressions of flattery.

3. Image in the mind; idea.

4. Sensible effect. The artillery made no impression on the fort. The attack made no impression on the enemy.

5. A single edition of a book; the books printed at once; as a copy of the last impression The whole impression of the work was sold in a month.

6. Slight, indistinct remembrance. I have an impression that the fact was stated to me, but I cannot clearly recollect it.

IMPRESS'IVE, adjective Making or tending to make an impression; having the power of affecting, or of exciting attention and feeling; adapted to touch sensibility or the conscience; as an impressive discourse; an impressive scene.

1. Capable of being impressed; susceptible.

IMPRESS'IVELY, adverb In a manner to touch sensibility, or to awaken conscience; in a manner to produce a powerful effect on the mind.

IMPRESS'IVENESS, noun The quality of being impressive.

IMPRESS'MENT, noun The act of impressing men into public service; as the impressment of seamen.

1. The act of compelling into any service; as the impressment of nurses to attend the sick.

2. The act of seizing for public use; as the impressment of provisions for the army.

IMPRESS'URE, noun The mark made by pressure; indentation; dent; impression.

IM'PREST, noun A kind of earnest-money; loan; money advanced.

IMPREST', verb transitive To advance on loan.

IMPREV'ALENCE, noun Incapability of prevailing.

IMPRIMA'TUR, noun [Latin let it be printed.]

A license to print a book, etc.

IMPRIM'ERY, noun A print; impression; a printing-house; art of printing. [Not in use.]

IM'PRIMIS, adverb [Latin imprimis for in primis.]

In the first place; first in order.

IMPRINT', verb transitive [Latin imprimo; in and premo, to press. See Print.]

1. To impress; to make by pressure; as a character or device imprinted on wax or cloth.

2. To stamp letters and words on paper by means of types; to print.

3. To fix on the mind or memory; to impress. Let your father's admonitions and instructions be imprinted on your mind.

IMPRINT'ED, participle passive Marked by pressure; printed; fixed in the mind or memory.

IMPRINT'ING, participle present tense Marking by pressure; printing; fixing on the mind or memory.

IMPRIS'ON, verb transitive impriz'n.

1. To put into a prison; to confine in a prison or jail, or to arrest and detain in custody in any place.

2. To confine; to shut up; to restrain from escape; to deprive of the liberty to move from place to place; as, to be imprisoned in a cell.

He imprisoned was in chains remediless.

Try to imprison the resistless winds.

IMPRIS'ONED, participle passive Confined in a prison or jail; restrained from escape or from going at large.

IMPRIS'ONING, participle present tense Shutting up in prison; confining in a place.

IMPRIS'ONMENT, noun The act of putting and confining in prison;

the act of arresting and detaining in custody.

1. Confinement in a place; restraint of liberty to go from place to place at pleasure. Appropriately, the confinement of a criminal or debtor within the walls of a prison, or in the custody of a sheriff, etc.

False imprisonment is any confinement of the person, or restraint of liberty, without legal or sufficient authority. The arrest or detention of the person by an officer without warrant, or by an illegal warrant, or by a legal warrant executed at an unlawful time, is false imprisonment

IMPROBABIL'ITY, noun [See Improbable.] The quality of being improbable, or not likely to be true; unlikelihood.

IMPROB'ABLE, adjective [Latin improbabilis; in and probabilis, from probo, to prove.] Not likely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances of the case. It is always improbable that men will knowingly oppose their own interest; yet the fact is possible. It is improbable that snow will fall in July, but not incredible.

IMPROB'ABLY, adverb In a manner not likely to be true.

1. In a manner not to be approved.

IM'PROBATE, verb transitive [Latin improbo.] To disallow; not to approve. [Not used.]

IMPROBA'TION, noun The act of disapproving. [Not in use.]

IMPROB'ITY, noun [Latin improbitas; in and probitas, from probo, to approve.] That which is disapproved or disallowed; want of integrity or rectitude of principle; dishonesty. A man of unknown improbity is always suspected, and usually despised.

IMPRODU'CED, adjective Not produced. [Not in use.]

IMPROFI'CIENCY, noun Want of proficiency.

IMPROF'ITABLE, adjective Unprofitable. [Not in use.]

IMPROMP'TU, adverb [Latin in promptu, in readiness, from promptus, ready, quick.] Off hand; without previous study; as a verse uttered or written impromptu

IMPROMP'TU, noun A piece made off hand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition.

IMPROP'ER, adjective [Latin improprius; in and proprius, proper.]

1. Not proper; not suitable; not adapted to its end; unfit; as an improper medicine for a particular disease; an improper regulation.

2. Not becoming; not decent; not suited to the character, time or place; as improper conduct in church; improper behavior before superiors; an improper speech.

3. Not according to the settled usages or principles of a language; as an improper word or phrase.

4. Not suited to a particular place or office; unqualified; as, he is an improper man for the office.

IMPROP'ERLY, adverb Not fitly; in a manner not suited to the end; in a manner not suited to the company, time, place and circumstances; unsuitably; incongruously.

1. In a manner not according with established usages; inaccurately; ungrammatically; as, to speak or write improperly

IMPROPI'TIOUS, adjective Not propitious; unpropitious.

[The latter is the word in use.]

IMPROPO'RTIONABLE, adjective Not proportionable. [Little used.]

IMPROPO'RTIONATE, adjective Not proportionate; not adjusted. [Little used.]

IMPRO'PRIATE, verb transitive [Latin in and proprius, proper.]

1. To appropriate to private use; to take to one's self; as, to impropriate thanks to one's self. [Not used.]

2. To annex the possessions of the church or a benefice to a layman.

IMPRO'PRIATE, adjective Devolved into the hands of a layman.

IMPRO'PRIATED, participle passive Appropriated to one's self. [See Appropriated.]

1. Put in possession of a layman.

IMPRO'PRIATING, participle present tense Appropriating to one's self.

1. Annexing to a lay proprietor.

IMPROPRIA'TION, noun The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice into the hands of a layman.

1. The benefice impropriated.

IMPRO'PRIATOR, noun A layman who has possession of the lands of the church or an ecclesiastical living.

IMPROPRI'ETY, noun [Latin improprius. See Improper.]

1. Unfitness; unsuitableness to character, time, place or circumstances; as impropriety of behavior or manners. Levity of conduct is an impropriety in a religious assembly and at a funeral. Rudeness or forwardness in young persons before their superiors, is impropriety Indecency and indecorum are improprieties.

2. Inaccuracy in language; a word or phrase not according with the established usages or principles of speaking or writing.

Many gross improprieties, however authorized by practice, ought to be discarded.

IMPROSPER'ITY, noun Unprosperity; want of success.

IMPROS'PEROUS, adjective [in and prosperous.] Not prosperous; not successful; unfortunate; not yielding profit; not advancing interest; as an improsperous undertaking or voyage.

[Unprosperous is the word most generally used in the sense.]

IMPROS'PEROUSLY, adverb Unsuccessfully; unprosperously; unfortunately.

IMPROS'PEROUSNESS, noun Ill success; want of prosperity.

IMPROVABIL'ITY, noun [See Improvable.] The state or quality of being capable of improvement; susceptibility of being made better.

IMPROV'ABLE, adjective [See Improve.] Susceptible of improvement; capable of growing or being made better; that may be advanced in good qualities.

We have stock enough, and that too of an improvable nature, that is capable of infinite advancement.

Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his faculties.

I have a fine spread of improvable lands.

1. That may be used to advantage, or for the increase of any thing valuable.

The essays of weaker heads afford improvable hints to better.

2. Capable of tillage or cultivation.

A scarcity of improvable lands began to be felt in these colonies.

IMPROV'ABLENESS, noun Susceptibility of improvement; capableness of being made better, or of being used to advantage.

IMPROVE, verb transitive improov'. [Latin in and probo, to prove, or the adjective probus.]

1. To make better; to advance in value or good qualities. We amend a bad, but improve a good thing.

A good education improves the mind and the manners. A judicious rotation of crops tends to improve land.

2. To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to use for advantage; to employ for advancing interest, reputation or happiness.

Many opportunities occur of improving money, which, if a man misses, he may not afterwards recover.

Melissus was a man of parts, capable or enjoying and improving life.

True policy as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion.

This success was not improved.

Those who enjoy the advantage of better instruction, should improve their privileges.

They were aware of the advantages of their position, and improved them with equal skill and diligence.

Those moments were diligently improved.

The candidate improved his advantages.

A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved.

Whatever interest we have at the throne of grace, should be improved in behalf of others.

The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity.

My lords, no time should be lost, which may promise to improve this disposition in America.

If we neglect to improve our knowledge to the ends for which it was given--

It is the fault of persons not improving that light.

The shorter the time--the more eager were they to improve it.

A young minister wishing to improve the occasion--

3. To apply to practical purposes; as, to improve a discourse, or the doctrines stated and proved in a sermon.

4. To advance or increase by use; in a bad sense.

I fear we have not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors.

5. To use; to employ; as, to improve a witness of a deposition.

Let even the coach, the inns, or the ships be improved as openings for useful instruction.

6. To use; to occupy; to cultivate. The house or the farm is now improved by an industrious tenant.

This application is perhaps peculiar to some parts of the U. States. It however deviates little from that in some of the forgoing definitions.

IMPROVE, verb intransitive improov'. To grow better or wiser; to advance in goodness, knowledge, wisdom or other excellence. We are pleased to see our children improve in knowledge and virtue. A farm improves under judicious management. The artisan improves by experience. It is the duty, as it is the desire of a good man, to improve in grace and piety.

We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence.

1. To advance in bad qualities; to grow worse.

Domitian improved in cruelty toward the end of his reign.

[I regret to see this word thus used, or rather perverted.]

2. To increase; to be enhanced; to rise.

The price of cotton improves, or is improved.

[A mercantile and modern use of the word.]

To improve on, to make useful additions or amendments to; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage usually practiced.

IMPROV'ED, participle passive Made better, wiser or more excellent; advanced immoral worth, knowledge or manners.

1. Made better; advanced in fertility or other good qualities.

2. Used to profit or good purpose; as opportunities of learning improved

3. Used; occupied; as improved land.

IMPROVEMENT, noun improov'ment. Advancement in moral worth, learning, wisdom, skill or other excellence; as the improvement of the mind or of the heart by cultivation; improvement in classical learning, science or mechanical skill; improvement in music; improvement in holiness.

1. Melioration; a making or growing better, or more valuable; as the improvement of barren or exhausted land; the improvement of the roads; the improvement of the breed of horses or cattle.

2. A valuable addition; excellence added, or a change for the better; sometimes with on.

The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are improvements on the Greek poet.

3. Advance or progress from any state to a better.

There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several improvements and decays.

4. Instruction; growth in knowledge or refinement; edification.

I look upon your city as the best place of improvement

5. Use or employment to beneficial purposes; a turning to good account; as the improvement of natural advantages or spiritual privileges.

A good improvement of his reason.

6. Practical application; as the improvement of the doctrines and principles of a sermon.

I shall make some improvement of this doctrine.

Hence,

7. The part of a discourse intended to enforce and apply the doctrines, is called the improvement

8. Use; occupancy.

9. Improvements, plural , valuable additions or melioration, as building, clearings, drains, fences, etc., on a farm.

IMPROV'ER, noun One who improves; one who makes himself or any thing else better; as an improver of horses or cattle.

1. That which improves, enriches or meliorates; as chalk is an improver of lands.

IMPROVI'DED, adjective [Latin improvisus; in and provideo, to foresee or provide.] Unforeseen; unexpected; not provided against.

IMPROV'IDENCE, noun [Latin in and providens, providentia, from pro, before, and video, to see.]

Want of providence or forecast; neglect of foresight, or of the measures which foresight might dictate for safety or advantage. Half the inconveniences and losses which men suffer are the effects of improvidence

IMPROV'IDENT, adjective [Latin in and providens; pro and video, supra.]

Wanting forecast; not foreseeing what will be necessary or convenient, or neglecting the measures which foresight would dictate; wanting care to make provision for future exigences. Seamen are proverbially improvident It is sometimes followed by of; as improvident of harm.

IMPROV'IDENTLY, adverb Without foresight or forecast; without care to provide against future wants.

IMPROV'ING, participle present tense Making better; growing better; using to advantage.

IMPROVIS'ION, noun s as z. [in and provision.] Want of forecast; improvidence. [Little used.]

IMPRU'DENCE, noun [Latin imprudentia; in and prudentia, prudence.]

Want of prudence; indiscretion; want of caution, circumspection, or a due regard to the consequences of words to be uttered or actions to be performed, or their probable effects on the interest, safety, reputation or happiness of one's self or others; heedlessness; inconsiderateness; rashness. Let a man of sixty attempt to enumerate the evils which his imprudence has brought on himself, his family, or his neighbors.

IMPRU'DENT, adjective [Latin imprudens; in and prudens, prudent.]

Wanting prudence or discretion; indiscrete; injudicious; not attentive to the consequences of words or actions; rash; heedless. The imprudent man often laments his mistakes, and then repeats them.

IMPRU'DENTLY, adverb Without the exercise of prudence; indiscreetly.

IM'PUDENCE, noun [Latin impudens; in and pudens, from pudeo, to be ashamed.] Shamelessness; want of modesty; effrontery; assurance accompanied with a disregard of the opinions of others.

Those clear truths, that either their own evidence forces us to admit, or common experience makes it impudence to deny.

IM'PUDENT, adjective [Latin impudens.] Shameless; wanting modesty; bold with contempt of others; saucy.

When we behold an angel, not to fear

Is to be impudent

IM'PUDENTLY, adverb Shamelessly; with indecent assurance.

At once assail

With open mouths, and impudently rail.

IMPUDIC'ITY, noun [Latin impudicitia.] Immodesty.

IMPU'GN, verb transitive impu'ne. [Latin impugno; in and pugno, to fight or resist.] To oppose; to attack by words or arguments; to contradict. The lawfulness of lots is impugned by some, and defended by others.

The truth hereof I will not rashly impugn or over-boldly affirm.

IMPUGNA'TION, noun Opposition. [Little used.]

IMPU'GNED, participle passive Opposed; contradicted; disputed.

IMPU'GNER, noun One who opposes or contradicts.

IMPU'GNING, participle present tense Opposing; attacking; contradicting.

IMPUIS'SANCE, noun Impotence; weakness.

IM'PULSE, noun im'puls. [Latin impulsus, from impello. See Impel.]

1. Force communicated; the effect of one body acting on another. impulse is the effect of motion, and is in proportion to the quantity of matter and velocity of the impelling body.

2. Influence acting on the mind; motive.

These were my natural impulses for the undertaking.

3. Impression; supposed supernatural influence on the mind.

Meantime, by Jove's impulse Mezentius armed,

Succeeded Turnus--

IMPUL'SION, noun [Latin impulsio. See Impel.]

1. The act of driving against or impelling; the agency of a body in motion on another body.

2. Influence on the mind; impulse.

IMPULS'IVE, adjective Having the power of driving or impelling; moving; impellent.

Poor men! poor papers! We and they

Do some impulsive force obey.

IMPULS'IVELY, adverb With force; by impulse.

IMPU'NITY, noun [Latin impunitas; in and punio, to punish.]

1. Exemption from punishment or penalty. No person should be permitted to violate the laws with impunity impunity encourages men in crimes.

2. Freedom or exemption from injury. Some ferocious animals are not be encountered with impunity

IMPU'RE, adjective [Latin impurus; in and purus, pure.]

1. Not pure; foul; feculent; tinctured; mixed or impregnated with extraneous substance; as impure water or air; impure salt or magnesia.

2. Obscene; as impure language or ideas.

3. Unchaste; lewd; unclean; as impure actions.

4. Defiled by sin or guilt; unholy; as persons.

5. Unhallowed; unholy; as things.

6. Unclean; in a legal sense; not purified according to the ceremonial law of Moses.

IMPU'RE, verb transitive To render foul; to defile. [Not used.]

IMPU'RELY, adverb In an impure manner; with impurity.

IMPU'RENESS

IMPU'RITY, noun [Latin impuritas, supra.]

1. Want of purity; foulness; feculence; the admixture of a foreign substance in any thing; as the impurity of water, of air, of spirits, or of any species of earth or metal.

2. Any foul matter.

3. Unchastity; lewdness.

The foul impurities that reigned among the monkish clergy.

4. Want of sanctity or holiness; defilement by guilt.

5. Want of ceremonial purity; legal pollution or uncleanness. By the Mosaic law, a person contracted impurity by touching a dead body or a leper.

6. Foul language; obscenity.

Profaneness, impurity, or scandal, is not wit.

IMPU'RITY, n. [L. impuritas, supra.]

IMPUR'PLE, verb transitive [in and purple; ] To color or tinge with purple; to make red or reddish; as a field impurpled with blood.

The bright

Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone,

Impurpled; with celestial roses, smil'd.

IMPUR'PLING, participle present tense Tinging or coloring with purple.

IMPU'TABLE, adjective [See Impute.] That may be imputed or charged to a person; chargeable. Thus we say, crimes, sins, errors, trespasses are imputable to those who commit them.

1. That may be ascribed to; in a good sense.

This favor is imputable to your goodness, or to a good motive.

2. Accusable; chargeable with a fault. [Not proper.]

3. That may be set to the account of another. It has been a question much agitated, whether Adam's sin is imputable to his posterity.

IMPU'TABLENESS, noun The quality of being imputable.

IMPUTA'TION, noun The act of imputing or charging; attribution; generally in an ill sense; as the imputation of crimes of faults to the true authors of them. We are liable to the imputation or numerous sins and errors, to the imputation of pride, vanity and self-confidence; to the imputation of weakness and irresolution, or of rashness.

1. Sometimes in a good sense.

If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humor his men with the imputation of being near their master.

2. Charge or attribution of evil; censure; reproach.

Let us be careful to guard ourselves against these groundless imputations of our enemies, and to rise above them.

3. Hint; slight notice.

IMPU'TATIVE, adjective That may be imputed.

IMPU'TATIVELY, adverb By imputation.

IMPU'TE, verb transitive [Latin imputo; in and puto, to think, to reckon; properly, to set, to put, to throw to or on.]

1. To charge; to attribute; to set to the account of; generally ill, sometimes good. We impute crimes, sins, trespasses, faults, blame, etc., to the guilty persons. We impute wrong actions to bad motives, or to ignorance, or to folly and rashness. We impute misfortunes and miscarriages to imprudence.

And therefore it was imputed to him for

righteousness. Romans 4:8.

2. To attribute; to ascribe.

I have read a book imputed to lord Bathurst.

3. To reckon to one what does not belong to him.

It has been held that Adam's sin is imputed to all his

posterity.

Thy merit

Imputed shall absolve them who renounce

Their own both righteous and unrighteous deeds.

IMPU'TED, participle passive Charged to the account of; attributed; ascribed.

IMPU'TER, noun One that imputes or attributes.

IMPU'TING, participle present tense Charging to the account of; attributing; ascribing.

IMPUTRES'CIBLE, adjective [in and Latin putresco, to putrefy.]

Not subject to putrefaction or corruption.