characterizing the rule or authority of a sovereign state over its dependencies.
4.
of the nature or rank of an emperor or supreme ruler.
5.
of a commanding quality, manner, aspect, etc.
6.
domineering; imperious.
7.
befitting an emperor or empress; regal; majestic; very fine or grand; magnificent.
8.
of special or superior size or quality, as various products and commodities.
9.
(of weights and measures) conforming to the standards legally established in Great Britain.
–noun
10.
a size of printing or drawing paper, 22 × 30 in. (56 × 76 cm) in England, 23 × 33 in. (58 × 84 cm) in America.
11.
imperial octavo, a size of book, about 81/4 × 111/2 in. (21 × 29 cm), untrimmed, in America, and 71/2 × 11 in. (19 × 28 cm), untrimmed, in England. Abbreviation:imperial 8vo
12.
imperial quarto, Chiefly British. a size of book, about 11 × 15 in. (28 × 38 cm), untrimmed. Abbreviation:imperial 4to
13.
the top of a carriage, esp. of a diligence.
14.
a case for luggage carried there.
15.
a member of an imperial party or of imperial troops.
16.
an emperor or empress.
17.
any of various articles of special size or quality.
18.
an oversized bottle used esp. for storing Bordeaux wine, equivalent to 8 regular bottles or 6 l (6.6 qt.).
[Origin: 1325–75; ME < LL imperiālis, equiv. to L imperi(um) imperium+ -ālis-al1; r. ME emperial < MF < LL, as above]
c.1374, "having a commanding quality," from O.Fr. imperial (12c.), from L. imperialis "of the empire or emperor," from imperium (see empire). Meaning "of or pertaining to an empire" (especially the Roman) is from 1390. An imperialist originally was "an adherent of an emperor," such as the emperor of Germany, France, China, etc. The shift in meaning came via the British Empire, which involved a worldwide colonial system. Imperialism, in the sense of "one country's rule over another," first recorded 1878. Picked up disparagingly in Communist jargon 1918; imperialist (n.) in this sense first recorded 1963.
relating to or associated with an empire; "imperial colony"; "the imperial gallon was standardized legally throughout the British Empire"
2.
of or belonging to the British Imperial System of weights and measures
3.
befitting or belonging to an emperor or empress; "imperial palace"
4.
belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler; "golden age of imperial splendor"; "purple tyrant"; "regal attire"; "treated with royal acclaim"; "the royal carriage of a stag's head"
Imperial Beach, CA (city, FIPS 36294) Location: 32.57020 N, 117.11860 W Population (1990): 26512 (9525 housing units) Area: 11.0 sq km (land), 0.7 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 91932
Imperial County, CA (county, FIPS 25) Location: 33.03851 N, 115.35292 W Population (1990): 109303 (36559 housing units) Area: 10813.4 sq km (land), 795.2 sq km (water)
Imperial-Enlow, PA (CDP, FIPS 36772) Location: 40.45341 N, 80.24853 W Population (1990): 3449 (1491 housing units) Area: 10.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Imperial, CA (city, FIPS 36280) Location: 32.84051 N, 115.57103 W Population (1990): 4113 (1372 housing units) Area: 6.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 92251
Imperial, NE (city, FIPS 23690) Location: 40.51623 N, 101.63761 W Population (1990): 2007 (870 housing units) Area: 6.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 69033
Imperial, PA Zip code(s): 15126
Imperial, TX Zip code(s): 79743
Imperial, MO (CDP, FIPS 34354) Location: 38.36773 N, 90.37222 W Population (1990): 4156 (1564 housing units) Area: 14.0 sq km (land), 1.9 sq km (water)
Em"pire\, n. [F., fr. L. imperium a command, sovereignty, dominion, empire, fr. imperare. See Emperor; cf. Imperial.]1. Supreme power; sovereignty; sway; dominion. "The empire of the sea." --Shak. Over hell extend His empire, and with iron scepter rule. --Milton. 2. The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire. Empire carries with it the idea of a vast and complicated government. --C. J. Smith. 3. Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; as, the empire of mind or of reason. "Under the empire of facts." --M. Arnold. Another force which, in the Middle Ages, shared with chivalry the empire over the minds of men. --A. W. Ward. Celestial empire. See under Celestial. Empire City, a common designation of the city of New York. Empire State, a common designation of the State of New York. Syn: Sway; dominion; rule; control; reign; sovereignty; government; kingdom; realm; state.
Im*pe"ri*al\, a. [OE. emperial, OF. emperial, F. imp['e]rial, fr. L. imperialis, fr. imperium command, sovereignty, empire. See Empire.]1. Of or pertaining to an empire, or to an emperor; as, an imperial government; imperial authority or edict. The last That wore the imperial diadem of Rome. --Shak. 2. Belonging to, or suitable to, supreme authority, or one who wields it; royal; sovereign; supreme. "The imperial democracy of Athens." --Mitford. Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns With an imperial voice. --Shak. To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free, These are imperial arts, and worthy thee. --Dryden. He sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle. --E. Everett. 3. Of superior or unusual size or excellence; as, imperial paper; imperial tea, etc. Imperial bushel, gallon, etc. See Bushel, Gallon, etc. Imperial chamber, the, the sovereign court of the old German empire. Imperial city, under the first German empire, a city having no head but the emperor. Imperial diet, an assembly of all the states of the German empire. Imperial drill. (Manuf.) See under 8th Drill. Imperial eagle. (Zo["o]l.) See Eagle. Imperial green. See Paris green, under Green. Imperial guard, the royal guard instituted by Napoleon I. Imperial weights and measures, the standards legalized by the British Parliament.
Im*pe"ri*al\, n. [F. imp['e]riale: cf. Sp. imperial.]1. The tuft of hair on a man's lower lip and chin; -- so called from the style of beard of Napoleon III. 2. An outside seat on a diligence. --T. Hughes. 3. A luggage case on the top of a coach. --Simmonds. 4. Anything of unusual size or excellence, as a large decanter, a kind of large photograph, a large sheet of drowing, printing, or writing paper, etc. 5. A gold coin of Russia worth ten rubles, or about eight dollars. --McElrath. 6. A kind of fine cloth brought into England from Greece. or other Eastern countries, in the Middle Ages.
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