Chapter 11

||Im`pre*sa"ri*o (?), n.; pl. Impresarios (#). [It., from impresa ||enterprise.] The projector, manager, or conductor, of an opera or ||concert company. || Im`pre*scrip`ti*bil"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. imprescriptibilité.] The quality of being imprescriptible.

Im`pre*scrip"ti*ble (?), a. [Pref. im- not + prescriptible: cf. F. imprescriptible.] 1. Not capable of being lost or impaired by neglect, by disuse, or by the claims of another founded on prescription.

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

Vattel (Trans. )

2. Not derived from, or dependent on, external authority; self-evidencing; obvious.

The imprescriptible laws of the pure reason.

Colerridge.

Im`pre*scrip"ti*bly, adv. In an imprescriptible manner; obviously.

Im*prese" (?), n. A device. See Impresa.

An imprese, as the Italians call it, is a device in picture with his motto or word, borne by noble or learned personages.

Camden.

Im*press" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impressed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impressing.] [L. impressus, p. p. of imprimere to impress; pref. im- in, on + premere to press. See Press to squeeze, and cf. Imprint.] 1. To press, stamp, or print something in or upon; to mark by pressure, or as by pressure; to imprint (that which bears the impression).

His heart, like an agate, with your print impressed.

Shak.

2. To produce by pressure, as a mark, stamp, image, etc.; to imprint (a mark or figure upon something).

3. Fig.: To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to imprint; to inculcate.

Impress the motives of persuasion upon our own hearts till we feel the force of them.

I. Watts.

4. [See Imprest, Impress, n., 5.] To take by force for public service; as, to impress sailors or money.

The second five thousand pounds impressed for the service of the sick and wounded prisoners.

Evelyn.

Im*press", v. i. To be impressed; to rest. [Obs.]

Such fiendly thoughts in his heart impress.

Chaucer.

Im"press (?), n.; pl. Impresses (&?;). 1. The act of impressing or making.

2. A mark made by pressure; an indentation; imprint; the image or figure of anything, formed by pressure or as if by pressure; result produced by pressure or influence.

The impresses of the insides of these shells.

Woodward.

This weak impress of love is as a figure Trenched in ice.

Shak.

3. Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp. South.

4. A device. See Impresa. Cussans.

To describe . . . emblazoned shields, Impresses quaint.

Milton.

5. [See Imprest, Press to force into service.] The act of impressing, or taking by force for the public service; compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed.

Why such impress of shipwrights?

Shak.

Impress gang, a party of men, with an officer, employed to impress seamen for ships of war; a press gang. -- Impress money, a sum of money paid, immediately upon their entering service, to men who have been impressed.

Im*press`i*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being impressible; susceptibility.

Im*press"i*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. impressible.] Capable of being impressed; susceptible; sensitive. -- Im*press"i*ble*ness, n. -- Im*press"i*bly, adv.

Im*pres"sion (?), n. [F. impression, L. impressio.] 1. The act of impressing, or the state of being impressed; the communication of a stamp, mold, style, or character, by external force or by influence.

2. That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation; sensible result of an influence exerted from without.

The stamp and clear impression of good sense.

Cowper.

To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must spin, we must weave, we must build.

Barrow.

3. That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or agency; appearance; phenomenon. [Obs.]

Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the air.

Milton.

A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven.

Holland.

4. Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence, interest, concern. Reid.

His words impression left.

Milton.

Such terrible impression made the dream.

Shak.

I have a father's dear impression, And wish, before I fall into my grave, That I might see her married.

Ford.

5. An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief.

6. Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery.

Which must be read with an impression.

Milton.

7. (Print.) The pressure of the type on the paper, or the result of such pressure, as regards its appearance; as, a heavy impression; a clear, or a poor, impression; also, a single copy as the result of printing, or the whole edition printed at a given time.

Ten impressions which his books have had.

Dryden.

8. In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in house painting and the like. [R.]

9. (Engraving) A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, or the like.

Proof impression, one of the early impressions taken from an engraving, before the plate or block is worn.

Im*pres`sion*a*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being impressionable.

Im*pres"sion*a*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. impressionnable.] Liable or subject to impression; capable of being molded; susceptible; impressible.

He was too impressionable; he had too much of the temperament of genius.

Motley.

A pretty face and an impressionable disposition.

T. Hook.

Im*pres"sion*a*ble*ness, n. The quality of being impressionable.

Im*pres"sion*ism (?), n. [F. impressionnisme.] (Fine Arts) The theory or method of suggesting an effect or impression without elaboration of the details; -- a disignation of a recent fashion in painting and etching.

Im*pres"sion*ist, n. [F. impressionniste.] (Fine Arts) One who adheres to the theory or method of impressionism, so called.

Im*pres`sion*is"tic (?), a. Pertaining to, or characterized by, impressionism.

Im*pres"sion*less, a. Having the quality of not being impressed or affected; not susceptible.

Im*press"ive (?), a. [Cf. F. impressif.] 1. Making, or tending to make, an impression; having power to impress; adapted to excite attention and feeling, to touch the sensibilities, or affect the conscience; as, an impressive discourse; an impressive scene.

2. Capable of being impressed. [Obs.] Drayton.

- Im*press"ive*ly, adv. -- Im*press"ive*ness, n.

Im*press"ment (?), n. The act of seizing for public use, or of impressing into public service; compulsion to serve; as, the impressment of provisions or of sailors.

The great scandal of our naval service -- impressment -- died a protracted death.

J. H. Burton.

Im*press"or (?), n. [LL., a printer.] One who, or that which, impresses. Boyle.

Im*pres"sure (?), n. [Cf. OF. impressure, LL. impressura.] Dent; impression. [Obs.] Shak.

Im*prest" (&?;), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Imprested; p. pr. & vb. n. Impresting.] [Pref. im- + prest: cf. It. imprestare. See Prest, n.] To advance on loan. Burke.

Im"prest (?), n. [Cf. It. impresto, imprestito, LL. impraestitum. See Imprest, v. t., and Impress compulsion to serve.] A kind of earnest money; loan; -- specifically, money advanced for some public service, as in enlistment. Burke.

The clearing of their imprests for what little of their debts they have received.

Pepys.

{ Im*prev"a*lence (?), Im*prev"a*len*cy (?), } n. Want of prevalence. [Obs.]

Im`pre*vent`a*bil"i*ty (?), n. The state or quality of being impreventable. [R.]

Im`pre*vent"a*ble (?), a. Not preventable; inevitable.

||Im`pri*ma"tur (?), n. [L., let it be printed.] (Law) A license to ||print or publish a book, paper, etc.; also, in countries subjected to ||the censorship of the press, approval of that which is published. || Im*prim"er*y (?), n. [F. imprimerie, fr. imprimer to imprint.] [Obs.] (a) A print; impression. (b) A printing establishment. (c) The art of printing.

Im*prim"ing (?), n. A beginning. [Obs.] "Their springings and imprimings." Sir H. Wotton.

||Im*pri"mis (?), adv. [L., for in primis among the first, chiefly; in ||in + primus first.] In the first place; first in order. || Im*print" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imptrinted; p. pr. & vb. n. Imprinting.] [OE. emprenten, F. empreint, p. p. of empreindre to imprint, fr. L. imprimere to impres, imprint. See 1st In-, Print, and cf. Impress.] 1. To impress; to mark by pressure; to indent; to stamp.

And sees his num'rous herds imprint her sands.

Prior.

2. To stamp or mark, as letters on paper, by means of type, plates, stamps, or the like; to print the mark (figures, letters, etc., upon something).

Nature imprints upon whate'er we see, That has a heart and life in it, "Be free."

Cowper.

3. To fix indelibly or permanently, as in the mind or memory; to impress.

Ideas of those two different things distinctly imprinted on his mind.

Locke.

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Im"print (?), n. [Cf. F. empreinte impress, stamp. See Imprint, v. t.] Whatever is impressed or imprinted; the impress or mark left by something; specifically, the name of the printer or publisher (usually) with the time and place of issue, in the title- page of a book, or on any printed sheet. "That imprint of their hands." Buckle.

Im*pris"on (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imprisoned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Imprisoning.] [OE. enprisonen, OF. enprisoner, F. emprisonner; pref. en- (L. in) + F. & OF. prison. See Prison.] 1. To put in prison or jail; To arrest and detain in custody; to confine.

He imprisoned was in chains remediless.

Spenser.

2. To limit, restrain, or confine in any way.

Try to imprison the resistless wind.

Dryden.

Syn. -- To incarcerate; confine; immure.

Im*pris"on*er (?), n. One who imprisons.

Im*pris"on ment (?), n. [OE. enprisonment; F. emprisonnement.] The act of imprisoning, or the state of being imprisoned; confinement; restraint.

His sinews waxen weak and raw Through long imprisonment and hard constraint.

Spenser.

Every confinement of the person is an imprisonment, whether it be in a common prison, or in a private house, or even by foreibly detaining one in the public streets.

Blackstone.

False imprisonment. (Law) See under False.

Syn. -- Incarceration; custody; confinement; durance; restraint.

Im*prob`a*bil"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Improbabilities (#). [Cf. F. improbabilité.] The quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood; also, that which is improbable; an improbable event or result.

Im*prob"a*ble (?), a. [L. improbabilis; pref. im- not + probabilis probable: cf. F. improbable. See Probable.] Not probable; unlikely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances or in the usual course of events; as, an improbable story or event.

He . . . sent to Elutherius, then bishop of Rome, an improbable letter, as some of the contents discover.

Milton.

-- Im*prob"a*ble*ness, n. -- Im*prob"a*bly, adv.

Im"pro*bate (?), v. t. [L. improbatus, p. p. of improbare to disapprove; pref. im- not + probare to approve.] To disapprove of; to disallow. [Obs.]

Im`pro*ba"tion (?), n. [L. improbatio.] 1. The act of disapproving; disapprobation.

2. (Scots Law) The act by which falsehood and forgery are proved; an action brought for the purpose of having some instrument declared false or forged. Bell.

{ Im"pro*ba*tive (?), Im"pro*ba`to*ry (?) }, a. Implying, or tending to, improbation.

Im*prob"i*ty (?), n. [L. improbitas; pref. im- not + probitas probity: cf. F. improbité.] Lack of probity; want of integrity or rectitude; dishonesty.

Persons . . . cast out for notorious improbity.

Hooker.

{ Im`pro*fi"cience (?), Im`pro*fi"cien*cy, } n. Want of proficiency. [R.] Bacon.

Im*prof"it*a*ble (?), a. [Pref. im- not + profitable: cf. F. improfitable.] Unprofitable. [Obs.]

Im`pro*gress"ive (?), a. Not progressive. De Quincey. -- Im"pro*gress"ive*ly, adv.

Im`pro*lif"ic (?), a. [Pref. im- not + prolific: cf. F. improlifique.] Not prolific. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

Im`pro*lif"ic*ate (?), v. t. [Pref. im- in + prolificate.] To impregnate. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Im*prompt" (?), a. Not ready. [R.] Sterne.

Im*promp"tu (?), adv. or a. [F. impromptu, fr. L. in promptu in readiness, at hand; in in + promptus visibility, readiness, from promptus visible, ready. See Prompt.] Offhand; without previous study; extemporaneous; extempore; as, an impromptu verse.

Im*promp"tu, n. 1. Something made or done offhand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition, address, or remark.

2. (Mus.) A piece composed or played at first thought; a composition in the style of an extempore piece.

Im*prop"er (?), a. [F. impropre, L. improprius; pref. im- not + proprius proper. See Proper.] 1. Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances, design, or end; unfit; not becoming; incongruous; inappropriate; indecent; as, an improper medicine; improper thought, behavior, language, dress.

Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service, Improper for a slave.

Shak.

And to their proper operation still, Ascribe all Good; to their improper, Ill.

Pope.

2. Not peculiar or appropriate to individuals; general; common. [Obs.]

Not to be adorned with any art but such improper ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and poetry.

J. Fletcher.

3. Not according to facts; inaccurate; erroneous.

Improper diphthong. See under Diphthong. -- Improper feud, an original feud, not earned by military service. Mozley & W. -- Improper fraction. See under Fraction.

Im*prop"er, v. t. To appropriate; to limit. [Obs.]

He would in like manner improper and inclose the sunbeams to comfort the rich and not the poor.

Jewel.

Im*prop`er*a"tion (?), n. [L. improperare, improperatum, to taunt.] The act of upbraiding or taunting; a reproach; a taunt. [Obs.]

Improperatios and terms of scurrility.

Sir T. Browne

||Im`pro*pe"ri*a (?), n. pl. [L., reproaches.] (Mus.) A series of ||antiphons and responses, expressing the sorrowful remonstrance of our ||Lord with his people; -- sung on the morning of the Good Friday in ||place of the usual daily Mass of the Roman ritual. Grove. || Im*prop"er*ly (?), adv. In an improper manner; not properly; unsuitably; unbecomingly.

Im*prop"er*ty (?), n. Impropriety. [Obs.]

Im`pro*pi"tious (?), a. Unpropitious; unfavorable. [Obs.] "Dreams were impropitious." Sir H. Wotton.

Im`pro*por"tion*a*ble (?), a. Not proportionable. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Im`pro*por"tion*ate (?), a. Not proportionate. [Obs.]

Im*pro"pri*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impropriated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impropriating (?).] [Pref. im- in + L. propriatus, p. p. of propriare to appropriate. See Appropriate.] 1. To appropriate to one's self; to assume. [Obs.]

To impropriate the thanks to himself.

Bacon.

2. (Eng. Eccl. Law) To place the profits of (ecclesiastical property) in the hands of a layman for care and disbursement.

Im*pro"pri*ate, v. i. To become an impropriator. [R.]

Im*pro"pri*ate (?), a. (Eng. Eccl. Law) Put into the hands of a layman; impropriated.

Im*pro`pri*a"tion (?), n. 1. The act of impropriating; as, the impropriation of property or tithes; also, that which is impropriated.

2. (Eng. Eccl. Law) (a) The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice in the hands of a layman, or lay corporation. (b) A benefice in the hands of a layman, or of a lay corporation.

Im*pro"pri*a`tor (?), n. One who impropriates; specifically, a layman in possession of church property.

Im*pro`pri*a"trix (?), n.; pl. E. -trixes, L. -trices (&?;). A female impropriator.

Im`pro*pri"e*ty (?), n.; pl. Improprieties (#). [L. improprietas; cf. F. impropriété. See Improper.] 1. The 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 or improper act, or an inaccurate use of language.

But every language has likewise its improprieties and absurdities.

Johnson.

Many gross improprieties, however authorized by practice, ought to be discarded.

Swift.

Im`pros*per"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. improspérité.] Want of prosperity. [Obs.]

Im*pros"per*ous (?), a. [Pref. im- not + prosperous: cf. F. improspère, L. improsper.] Not prosperous. [Obs.] Dryden. - - Im*pros"per*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.] -- Im*pros"per*ous*ness, n. [Obs.]

Im*prov`a*bil"i*ty (?), n. The state or quality of being improvable; improvableness.

Im*prov"a*ble (?), a. [From Improve.] 1. Capable of being improved; susceptible of improvement; admitting of being made better; capable of cultivation, or of being advanced in good qualities.

Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his faculties.

Sir M. Hale.

I have a fine spread of improvable lands.

Addison.

2. Capable of being used to advantage; profitable; serviceable; advantageous.

The essays of weaker heads afford improvable hints to better.

Sir T. Browne.

-- Im*pro"a*ble*ness, n. -- Im*prov"a*bly, adv.

Im*prove" (?), v. t. [Pref. im- not + prove: cf. L. improbare, F. improuver.] 1. To disprove or make void; to refute. [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; to censure; as, to improve negligence. [Obs.] Chapman.

When he rehearsed his preachings and his doing unto the high apostles, they could improve nothing.

Tyndale.

Im*prove", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Improved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Improving.] [Pref. in- in + prove, in approve. See Approve, Prove.] 1. To make better; to increase the value or good qualities of; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land. Donne.

I love not to improve the honor of the living by impairing that of the dead.

Denham.

2. To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to utilize; as, to improve one's time; to improve his means. Shak.

We shall especially honor God by improving diligently the talents which God hath committed to us.

Barrow.

A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved.

Addison.

The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity.

Blackstone.

How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour.

I. Watts.

Those moments were diligently improved.

Gibbon.

True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion.

Washington.

3. To advance or increase by use; to augment or add to; -- said with reference to what is bad. [R.]

We all have, I fear, . . . not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors.

Bp. Porteus.

Syn. -- To better; meliorate; ameliorate; advance; heighten; mend; correct; rectify; amend; reform.

Im*prove", v. i. 1. To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement; as, to improve in health.

We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence.

Atterbury.

2. To advance or progress in bad qualities; to grow worse. "Domitian improved in cruelty." Milner.

3. To increase; to be enhanced; to rise in value; as, the price of cotton improves.

To improve on or upon, to make useful additions or amendments to, or changes in; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage.

Im*prove"ment (?), n. 1. The act of improving; advancement or growth; promotion in desirable qualities; progress toward what is better; melioration; as, the improvement of the mind, of land, roads, etc.

I look upon your city as the best place of improvement.

South.

Exercise is the chief source of improvement in all our faculties.

Blair.

2. The act of making profitable use or applicaton of anything, or the state of being profitably employed; a turning to good account; practical application, as of a doctrine, principle, or theory, stated in a discourse. "A good improvement of his reason." S. Clarke.

I shall make some improvement of this doctrine.

Tillotson.

3. The state of being improved; betterment; advance; also, that which is improved; as, the new edition is an improvement on the old.

The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are improvements on the Greek poet.

Addison.

4. Increase; growth; progress; advance.

There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several improvements and decays.

Addison.

Those vices which more particularly receive improvement by prosperity.

South.

5. pl. Valuable additions or betterments, as buildings, clearings, drains, fences, etc., on premises.

6. (Patent Laws) A useful addition to, or modification of, a machine, manufacture, or composition. Kent.

Im*prov"er (?), n. One who, or that which, improves.

Im`pro*vid"ed (?), a. Unforeseen; unexpected; not provided against; unprepared. [Obs.]

All improvided for dread of death.

E. Hall.

Im*prov"i*dence (?), n. [L. improvidentia; OF. improvidence. Cf. Imprudence.] The quality of being improvident; want of foresight or thrift.

The improvidence of my neighbor must not make me inhuman.

L'Estrange.

Im*prov"i*dent (?), a. [Pref. im- not + provident: cf. L. improvidus. See Provident, and cf. Imprudent.] Not provident; wanting foresight or forethought; not foreseeing or providing for the future; negligent; thoughtless; as, an improvident man.

Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good, This sudden mischief never could have fallen.

Shak.

Syn. -- Inconsiderable; negligent; careless; shiftless; prodigal; wasteful.

Im*prov`i*den"tial*ly (?), adv. Improvidently. [R.]

Im*prov"i*dent*ly (?), adv. In a improvident manner. "Improvidently rash." Drayton.

Im*prov"ing (?), a. Tending to improve, beneficial; growing better. -- Im*prov"ing*ly, adv.

Improving lease (Scots Law), an extended lease to induce the tenant to make improvements on the premises.

Im*prov"i*sate (?), a. [See Improvise.] Unpremeditated; impromptu; extempore. [R.]

Im*prov"i*sate (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Improvisated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Improvisating (?).] To improvise; to extemporize.

Im*prov`i*sa"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. improvisation.] 1. The act or art of composing and rendering music, poetry, and the like, extemporaneously; as, improvisation on the organ.

2. That which is improvised; an impromptu.

Im`pro*vis"a*tize (?), v. t. & i. Same as Improvisate.

Im*prov"i*sa`tor (?), n. An improviser, or improvvisatore.

||Im`pro*vi`sa*to"re (?), n. See Improvvisatore. || { Im*prov`i*sa*to"ri*al (?), Im*prov"i*sa*to*ry (?), } a. Of or pertaining to improvisation or extemporaneous composition.

||Im`pro*vi`sa*tri"ce (?), n. See Improvvisatrice. || Im`pro*vise" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Improvised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Improvising.] [F. improviser, it. improvvisare, fr. improvviso unprovided, sudden, extempore, L. improvisus; pref. im- not + provisus foreseen, provided. See Proviso.] 1. To compose, recite, or sing extemporaneously, especially in verse; to extemporize; also, to play upon an instrument, or to act, extemporaneously.

2. To bring about, arrange, or make, on a sudden, or without previous preparation.

Charles attempted to improvise a peace.

Motley.

3. To invent, or provide, offhand, or on the spur of the moment; as, he improvised a hammer out of a stone.

Im`pro*vise", v. i. To produce or render extemporaneous compositions, especially in verse or in music, without previous preparation; hence, to do anything offhand.

Im`pro*vis"er (?), n. One who improvises.

Im`pro*vi"sion (?), n. [Pref. im- not + provision.] Improvidence. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Im`pro*vi"so (?), a. [L. improvisus unforeseen; cf. It. improvviso.] Not prepared or mediated beforehand; extemporaneous. [Obs.] Jonhson.

||Im`prov*vi`sa*to"re (?), n.; pl. Improvvisatori (#). [It. See ||Improvise.] One who composes and sings or recites rhymes and short ||poems extemporaneously. [Written also improvisatore.] || ||Im`prov*vi`sa*tri"ce (?), n.; pl. Improvvisatrici (#). [It. See ||Improvise.] A female improvvisatore. [Written also improvisatrice.] || Im*pru"dence (?), n. [L. imprudentia: cf. F. imprudence. Cf. Improvidence.] The quality or state of being imprudent; want to caution, circumspection, or a due regard to consequences; indiscretion; inconsideration; rashness; also, an imprudent act; as, he was guilty of an imprudence.