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imp

 - 10 dictionary results

imp

  [imp]
Use imp in a Sentence
–noun
1. a little devil or demon; an evil spirit.
2. a mischievous child.
3. Archaic. a scion or offshoot of a plant or tree.
4. Archaic. an offspring.
–verb (used with object)
5. Falconry.
a. to graft (feathers) into a wing.
b. to furnish (a wing, tail, etc.) with feathers, as to make good losses or deficiencies and improve powers of flight.
6. Archaic. to add a piece to; mend or repair.
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME impe, OE impa, impe shoot, graft < LL impotus, imputus grafted shoot < Gk émphytos planted, implanted, v. adj. of emphŷein to implant (em- em- 2 + phŷein to bring forth); (v.) ME impen to plant, graft, OE impian, geimpian, deriv. of the n. (cf. OHG impfōn, impitōn > G impfen to inoculate); sense “demon” < phrase imp of the devil

Synonyms:
2. scamp, rascal, brat, devil.

IMP

 
International Match Point.

Imp.

 
1. Emperor. Origin:
< L Imperātor
2. Empress.
Origin:
< L Imperātrīx

imp.

 
1. imperative.
2. imperfect.
3. imperial.
4. impersonal.
5. implement.
6. import.
7. important.
8. imported.
9. importer.
10. imprimatur.
11. in the first place. Origin:
< L imprīmīs
12. imprint.
13. improper.
14. improved.
15. improvement.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To imp
imp   (ĭmp)   
n.  

  1. A mischievous child.

  2. A small demon.

  3. Obsolete A graft.

tr.v.   imped, imp·ing, imps

  1. To graft (new feathers) onto the wing of a trained falcon or hawk to repair damage or increase flying capacity.

  2. To furnish with wings.


[Middle English impe, scion, sprig, offspring, from Old English impa, young shoot, from impian, to graft, ultimately from Medieval Latin impotus, graft, from Greek emphutos, grafted, from emphuein, to implant : en-, in; see en-2 + phuein, to make grow; see bheuə- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

imp 
O.E. impe, impa "young shoot, graft," from impian "to graft," probably an early W.Gmc. borrowing from V.L. *imptus, from L.L. impotus "implanted," from Gk. emphytos, verbal adj. formed from emphyein "implant," from em- "in" + phyein "to plant." Sense of "child, offspring" (1377) came from transfer of word from plants to people, with notion of "newness" preserved. Modern meaning "little devil" (1584) is from common use in pejorative phrases like imp of Satan.
"Suche appereth as aungelles, but in very dede they be ymps of serpentes." ["The Pilgrimage of Perfection," 1526]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: IMP
Pronunciation: "I-"em-'pE
Function: noun
: INOSINIC ACID
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Computing Dictionary

IMP
1. IMProved Mercury autocode.
2. An extensible dialect of ALGOL 60, for CDC 1604.
["Experience with an Extensible Language", Edgar T. Irons, CACM 13(1):31-39, Jan 1970].
3. Interpretive Menu Processor.
4. IMPlementation language.
5. Interface Message Processor.
(1996-04-07)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
imp
impression
IMP
instrument mounting platform
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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