Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Im-prĕs′ion-less, a. p. 667Having the quality of not being impressed or affected.Im-prĕss'ive, a. p. 667Making, or tending to make, an impression; having the power of affecting, or of exciting attention and feeling; adapted to touch the sensibilities or the conscience; as, an impressive discourse; an…Im-prĕss'ive-ly, adv. p. 667In an impressive manner; forcibly.Im-prĕss'ive-ness, n. p. 667The quality of being impressive.Im-prĕss'ment, n. p. 667The act of seizing for public use, or of impressing into public service; compulsion to serve; as, the impressment of provisions or sailors.Im-press'ure, n. p. 667The mark made by pressure; indentation; dent; impression. [Obs.] The impressure of those ample favors . . . Would bind my faith to all observances. B. Jonson.Im'prest, n. p. 667A kind of earnest-money; loan; money advanced. Burke. The clearing of their imprests for what little of their debts they have received. Pepys.Im-prĕst’, v. t. p. 667To advance on loan. Burke.Im-prĕv'a-lence or Im-prĕv'a-len-cy, n. p. 667Incapability of prevailing; want of prevalence. [Obs.] Hall.Im′pre-vĕnt′a-ble, a. p. 667Not capable of being prevented; inevitable; certain.Ĭm′/pre-vĕn′/ta-bĭl′/i-ty, n. p. 667State or quality of being impreventable; impossibility of preventing. [R.]Im'pri-mā'tur, n. p. 667A license to print a book, &c.Im-prīm′er-y, n. p. 667A print; impression. 2. A printing-house. 3. The art of printing.Im-prim’ing, n. p. 667The first motion, or the first action. [Obs.] Wotton.Im·pri'mis, adv. p. 667In the first place; first in order.Ĭm'print, n. p. 667Whatever is impressed or printed on the title page, as of a book; especially, the name of the printer or publisher, with the time and place of publishment.Im-print’, v. t. p. 667To impress; to mark by pressure; to indent; to stamp. 2. To stamp or mark, as letters on paper, by means of types; to print. 3. To fix indelibly or permanently, as on the mind or memory; to impress.…Im-pris'on, v. t. p. 668To put into a prison; to confine in a prison or jail, or to arrest and detain in custody. 2. To limit, hinder, or restrain in any way; as, to be imprisoned in a cell. He imprisoned was in chains…Im-pris'on-er, n. p. 668One who imprisons.Im-pris'on-ment, n. p. 668The act of imprisoning, or the state of being imprisoned; confinement in a prison; restraint of liberty. His sinews were waxed weak and raw Through long imprisonment and hard constraint. Spencer.…Im-prŏb'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 668The quality of being improbable, or not likely to be true; unlikelihood.Im·prōb'a·ble, a. p. 668Not probable; unlikely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances of the case; as, an improbable story or event. He . . . sent an improbable letter, as some of the contents discover.…Im·prōb'a·bly, adv. p. 668In an improbable manner.Im'pro-bāte, v. t. p. 668To disallow; not to approve. [Obs.] Ainsworth.Ĭm'pro-bā'tion, n. p. 668The act of disapproving. [Obs.] 2. (Scots Law.) The act by which perjury or falsehood is proved; an action brought for the purpose of having some instrument declared false or forged. Bell. Burrell.Im-prŏb'i-ty, n. p. 668Absence of probity; want of integrity or rectitude of principle; dishonesty. Persons excommunicable, yea, and cast out for notorious improbity. Hooker.Ĭm'pro-dūced', a. p. 668Not produced. [Obs.] Ray.Im’pro-fi’cience or Im’pro-fi’cien-cy, n. p. 668Want of proficiency. [Rare.] Bacon.Im-prŏf'it-a-ble, a. p. 668Unprofitable. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.Im'pro·grēss'ive, a. p. 668Not progressive. [Rare.] Cathedral cities in England, imperial cities without manufactures in Germany, are all in an improgressive condition. De Quincey.Ĭm’pro-grĕss′īve-ly, adv. p. 668In an improgressive manner. [Rare.] Hare.Ĭm′pro·lĭf′ĭc, a. p. 668Not prolific; unfruitful; improductive. [Obs.] Waterhouse.Im’pro-lif’ic-āte, v. t. p. 668To impregnate; to fecundate. [Obs.] Browne.Im-prŏmpt', a. p. 668Not ready; unprepared. [Obs.] “So imprompt, so ill-prepared to stand the shock.” Sterne.Im-prōmp'tū, adv. or a. p. 668Off-hand; without previous study; as, a verse uttered or written impromptu; an impromptu epigram.Im-prŏmp'tū, n. p. 668A piece made off-hand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition.Im-prōp'er, a. p. 668Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances, design, or end; unfit; not becoming; indecent; as, an improper medicine, regulation, &c.; improper behavior, conduct, language, words, and…Im-prŏp'er-ā'tion, n. p. 668The act of upbraiding or taunting; a reproach; a taunt. [Obs.] Omitting these improperations and terms of scurrility betwixt us, which only difference our affections, and not our cause. Browne.Im-prŏp'er-ly, adv. p. 668In an improper manner; not fitly; unsuitably; incongruously; inaccurately.Im-prŏp'er-ty, n. p. 668Impropriety. [Obs.]Ĭm'pro-pĭ'tioŭs, a. p. 668Unpropitious. [Obs.] Wotton.Ĭm'pro-pōr'tion-a-ble, a. p. 668Not proportionable. [Obs.] B. Jon.Ĭm'pro-pōr'tion-ate, a. p. 668Not proportionate; not adjusted. [Obs.] Smith, On Old Age.Im-prō'pri-āte, v. t. p. 668To appropriate to private use; to assume. [Obs.] “To impropriate the thanks to himself.” Bacon. 2. (Eng. Eccl. Law.) To place the profits of, for care and disbursement, in the hands of a layman; —…Im-prō'pri-ate, a. p. 668(Eng. Eccl. Law.) Devolved into the hands of a layman; impropriated.Im-prō'pri-ā'tion, n. p. 668The act of impropriating; as, the impropriation of property or tithes; especially, (Eng. Eccl. Law.) (a.) The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice in the hands of a layman, or lay corporation.…Im-prō'pri-ā'tor, n. p. 668One who impropriates; especially, a layman who has possession of the lands of the church, or an ecclesiastical living. Ayliffe.Im-prō'pri-ā'trix, n. p. 668A woman who impropriates, or who holds possession of church lands.Ĭm'pro-prī'e-ty, n. p. 668The quality of being improper; unfitness or unsuitableness to character, time, place, or circumstances; as, impropriety of behavior or manners. 2. That which is improper; an unsuitable act…Ĭm'pros-pĕr'i-ty, n. p. 668Want of prosperity or success. [Obs.]Im-prŏs'per-oŭs, a. p. 668Not prosperous; not successful; unfortunate; as, an improsperous undertaking or voyage. [Obs.] Dryden.Im-prŏs'per-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 668In an improsperous manner; unprosperously. [Obs.] Boyle.Im-prŏs'per-oŭs-ness, n. p. 668Want of prosperity; ill success. [Obs.] Hammond.Im-prov'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 668The state or quality of being capable of improvement; susceptibility of being made better.Im-prov'a-ble, a. p. 668Capable of being improved; susceptible of improvement; admitting of being made better; advanceable in good qualities. Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his…Im-prov'a-ble-ness, n. p. 668Susceptibility of improvement; capableness of being made better, or of being used to advantage.Im-prov'a-bly, adv. p. 668In a manner that admits of improvement.Im-prove', v. t. p. 668To disprove or make void. [Obs.] Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which another can not improve. Tyndale. 2. To disapprove; to find fault with; to reprove; as, to improve negligence.…Im-prove', v. t. p. 668To make better; to advance in value or good qualities; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land, talents, &c. Manure thyself, then; to thyself be improved; And with vain, outward…Im-prove', v. i. p. 668To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement. We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence. Atterbury. 2. To advance or progress in bad…