Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
imping - 3 dictionary results

imp

  [imp]
Use imping 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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To imping
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

Imping

Imp"ing\, n. [See Imp to graft.]

1. The act or process of grafting or mending. [Archaic]

2. (Falconry) The process of repairing broken feathers or a deficient wing.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see imping on Thesaurus | Reference