Impose

[imp. & p. p. IMPOSED; p. pr. & vb. n. IMPOSING.] [Fr. imposer, Lat. imponere, impositum; prefix im, for in, and ponere, to place; Pr. empausar, from Lat. im and pausare, to pause, pausa, pause, stop. Cf. APPOSE, DEPOSE, EXPOSE, and IMPONE.] 1. To lay on; to set or place; to put; to deposit; — generally with on or upon. Cakes of salt and barley [she] did impose Within a wicker basket. Chapman. 2. To lay as a charge, burden, tax, duty, obligation, command, or the like; to enjoin; to levy; to inflict; as, to impose a toll or tribute, or a name. What fates impose, that men must needs abide. Shak. Thou on the deep imposest nobler laws. Waller. Impose but your commands. Dryden. 3. To obtrude unfairly or fallaciously; to pass off; to palm. Our poet thinks not fit To impose upon you what he writes for wit. Dryden.

4. (Eccl.) To lay, as the hands in an act of religion, as in confirmation or ordination.
5. (Print.) To place, as matter in type, on the stone, in order to arrange it for printing.

To impose on, to pass or put a trick or deceit on. “He imposes on himself, and mistakes words for things.” Locke.