Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IM-PRAC'TI-CA-BLY, adv.

In a manner or degree that hinders practice. Morality not impracticably rigid. Johnson.

IM'PRE-CATE, v.t. [L. 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'PRE-CA-TED, pp.

Invoked on one, as some evil.

IM'PRE-CA-TING, ppr.

Calling for evil on one's self or another.

IM-PRE-CA'TION, n. [L. imprecatio.]

The act of imprecating, or invoking evil on any one; a prayer that a curse or calamity may fall on any one.

IM'PRE-CA-TO-RY, a.

Containing a prayer for evil to befall a person.

IM-PRE-CIS'ION, n. [s as z. in and precision.]

Want of precision or exactness; defect of accuracy. Taylor.

IM-PREGN', v.t. [impre'ne; It. impregnare; Fr. impregner; L. in and prægnans. See Pregnant.]

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

IM-PREG'NA-BLE, a. [Fr. imprenable.]

1. Not to be stormed, or taken by assault; that can not 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. South.

IM-PREG'NA-BLY, adv.

In a manner to resist penetration or assault; in a manner to defy force; as, a place impregnably fortified. Sandys.

IM-PREG'NATE, a.

Impregnated; rendered prolific or fruitful.

IM-PREG'NATE, v.t. [It. impregnare; Fr. impregner; Sp. impregnar. 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 of one thing to another, as in pharmacy, by mixture, digestion, &c.

IM-PREG'NA-TED, a.

Made pregnant or prolifie; fecundated; filled with something by mixture, &c.

IM-PREG'NA-TING, ppr.

Infusing seed or pollen; rendering pregnant; fructifying; fecundating; filling by infusion or mixture.

IM-PREG-NA'TION, n. [Fr.]

1. The act of fecundating and rendering fruitful; applied to animals or plants.
2. The communication of the particles or virtues of one thing to another.
3. That with which any thing is impregnated. Derham.
4. Saturation. Ainsworth.

IM-PRE-JU'DI-CATE, a. [L. in, præ, and judico.]

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

IM-PREP-A-RA'TION, n. [in and preparation.]

Want of preparation; unpreparedness; unreadiness. [Little used.] Hooker.

IM-PRE-SCRIP-TI-BIL'I-TY, n. [Fr. imprescriptibilité, from imprescriptible.]

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. Vattel, Trans.

IM-PRE-SCRIP'TI-BLE, a. [Fr. from præscriptible, from L. præscribo; præ and scribo, to write.]

That can not 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 prisons having a right to prescribe to me on that subject, are imprescriptible. Vattel, Trans. The rights of navigation, fishing, and others that may be exercised on the sea, belonging to the right of mere ability, are imprescriptible. Vattel.

IM'PRESS, n.

1. A mark or indentation, made by pressure.
2. The figure or image of any thing made by pressure; stamp; likeness.
3. Mark of distinction; stamp; character. God leaves us this general impress or character on the works of creation, that they were very good. South.
4. Device; motto. To describe emblazoned shields, / Impresses quaint. Milton.
5. The act of compelling to enter into public service. [See Press.] Shak.

IM-PRESS', v.t. [L. 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 an 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. Marshall.

IM-PRESS'ED, pp.

Imprinted; stamped; marked by pressure; compelled to enter public service; seized for public use; fixed in the mind; made sensible; convinced.

IM-PRESS'-GANG, n.

A party of men with an officer, employed to impress seamen for ships of war. [See Press-gang.]

IM-PRESS-I-BIL'I-TY, n.

The quality of being impressible

IM-PRESS'I-BLE, a.

1. That may be impressed; that yields to pressure; that may receive impressions. Solid bodies are not easily impressible.
2. That may be impressed; that may have its figure stamped on another body.