Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for IM-PER'FECT
IM-PER'FECT, a. [L. imperfectus; in and perfectus, finished, perfect; perficio, to perfect; per and facio, to make.]
- Not finished; not complete. The work or design is imperfect.
- Defective; not entire, sound or whole; wanting a part; impaired. The writings of Livy are imperfect.
- Not perfect in intellect; liable to err; as, men are imperfect; our minds and understandings are imperfect.
- Not perfect in a moral view; not according to the laws of God, or the rules of right. Our services and obedience are imperfect.
- In grammar, the imperfect tense denotes an action in time past, then present, but not finished.
- 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. Busby.
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