Impatiency - Imperfect

Prev Next

Impatiency (ĭmpāsh�ns�), n. Impatience. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Impatiens (ĭmpāshĭĕnz), prop. n. [L., impatient.] (Bot.) A genus of plants, several species of which have very beautiful flowers; -- so called because the elastic capsules burst when touched, and scatter the seeds with considerable force. Called also touch-me-not, jewelweed, and snapweed. Impatiens Balsamina (sometimes called lady's slipper) is the common garden balsam.
[ Webster]

Impatient (ĭmpāsh�nt), a. [OE. impacient, F. impatient, fr. L. impatiens; pref. im- not + patiens patient. See .] 1. Not patient; not bearing with composure; intolerant; uneasy; fretful; restless, because of pain, delay, or opposition; eager for change, or for something expected; hasty; passionate; -- often followed by at, for, of, and under.
[ Webster]

A violent, sudden, and impatient necessity. Jer. Taylor.
[ Webster]

Fame, impatient of extremes, decays
Not more by envy than excess of praise. Pope.
[ Webster]

The impatient man will not give himself time to be informed of the matter that lies before him. Addison.
[ Webster]

Dryden was poor and impatient of poverty. Macaulay.
[ Webster]

2. Not to be borne; unendurable. [Obs.] Spenser.
[ Webster]

3. Prompted by, or exhibiting, impatience; as, impatient speeches or replies. Shak.

Syn. -- Restless; uneasy; changeable; hot; eager; fretful; intolerant; passionate.
[ Webster]

Impatient, n. One who is impatient. [R.]
[ Webster]

Impatiently, adv. In an impatient manner.
[ Webster]

Impatronization (?), n. Absolute seignory or possession; the act of investing with such possession. [R.] Cotgrave.
[ Webster]

Impatronize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impatronized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impatronizing (?).] To make lord or master; as, to impatronize one's self of a seigniory. [R.] Bacon.
[ Webster]

Impave (?), v. t. To pave. [Poetic]
[ Webster]

Impaved with rude fidelity
Of art mosaic. Wordsworth.
[ Webster]

Impavid (?), a. [L. impavidus. See not, and .] Fearless. -- Impavidly, adv.
[ Webster]

Impawn (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impawned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impawning.] [Pref. im- + pawn: cf. .] To put in pawn; to pledge; to pawn. Shak.
[ Webster]

Impeach (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impeached (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impeaching.] [OE. empeechier to prevent, hinder, bar, F. empêcher, L. impedicare to entangle; pref. im- in + pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See , and , , .] 1. To hinder; to impede; to prevent. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

These ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land. Sir J. Davies.
[ Webster]

A defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance. Howell.
[ Webster]

2. To charge with a crime or misdemeanor; to accuse; especially to charge (a public officer), before a competent tribunal, with misbehavior in office; to cite before a tribunal for judgment of official misconduct; to arraign; as, to impeach a judge. See .
[ Webster]

3. Hence, to charge with impropriety; to dishonor; to bring discredit on; to call in question; as, to impeach one's motives or conduct.
[ Webster]

And doth impeach the freedom of the state. Shak.
[ Webster]

4. (Law) To challenge or discredit the credibility of, as of a witness, or the validity of, as of commercial paper.
[ Webster]

☞ When used in law with reference to a witness, the term signifies, to discredit, to show or prove unreliable or unworthy of belief; when used in reference to the credit of witness, the term denotes, to impair, to lessen, to disparage, to destroy. The credit of a witness may be impeached by showing that he has made statements out of court contradictory to what he swears at the trial, or by showing that his reputation for veracity is bad, etc.

Syn. -- To accuse; arraign; censure; criminate; indict; impair; disparage; discredit. See .
[ Webster]

Impeach, n. Hindrance; impeachment. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Impeachable (?), a. That may be impeached; liable to impeachment; chargeable with a crime.
[ Webster]

Owners of lands in fee simple are not impeachable for waste. Z. Swift.
[ Webster]

Impeacher (?), n. One who impeaches.
[ Webster]

Impeachment (?), n. [Cf. F. empêchement.] The act of impeaching, or the state of being impeached; as: (a) Hindrance; impediment; obstruction. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Willing to march on to Calais,
Without impeachment. Shak.

(b) A calling to account; arraignment; especially, of a public officer for maladministration.
[ Webster]

The consequence of Coriolanus' impeachment had like to have been fatal to their state. Swift.

(c) A calling in question as to purity of motives, rectitude of conduct, credibility, etc.; accusation; reproach; as, an impeachment of motives. Shak.
[ Webster]

☞ In England, it is the privilege or right of the House of Commons to impeach, and the right of the House of Lords to try and determine impeachments. In the United States, it is the right of the House of Representatives to impeach, and of the Senate to try and determine impeachments.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Articles of impeachment . See under . -- Coloq. Impeachment of waste (Law), restraint from, or accountability for, injury; also, a suit for damages for injury. Abbott.
[ Webster]

Impearl (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impearled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impearling.] [Pref. im- in + pearl: cf. F. emperler.] 1. To form into pearls, or into that which resembles pearls. [Poetic]
[ Webster]

Dewdrops which the sun
Impearls on every leaf and every flower. Milton.
[ Webster]

2. To decorate as with pearls or with anything resembling pearls. [Poetic]
[ Webster]

With morning dews impearled. Mrs. Browning.
[ Webster]

The dews of the morning impearl every thorn. R. Digby.
[ Webster]

Impeccability (?), n. [Cf. F. impeccabilité.] The quality of being impeccable; exemption from sin, error, or offense.
[ Webster]

Infallibility and impeccability are two of his attributes. Pope.
[ Webster]

Impeccable (?), a. [L. impeccabilis; pref. im- not + peccare to err, to sin: cf. F. impeccable.] Not liable to sin; exempt from the possibility of doing wrong. -- n. One who is impeccable; esp., one of a sect of Gnostic heretics who asserted their sinlessness.
[ Webster]

God is infallible, impeccable, and absolutely perfect. P. Skelton.
[ Webster]

Impeccancy (?), n. Sinlessness. Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Impeccant (?), a. Sinless; impeccable. Byron.
[ Webster]

Impecuniosity (?), n. The state of being impecunious. Thackeray. Sir W. Scott.
[ Webster]

Impecunious (?), a. [L. im- not + pecunia money: cf. F. impécunieux.] Not having money; habitually without money; poor.
[ Webster]

An impecunious creature. B. Jonson.
[ Webster]

Impedance (?), n. [Impede + -ance.] (Elec.) The apparent resistance in an electric circuit to the flow of an alternating current, analogous to the actual electrical resistance to a direct current, being the ratio of electromotive force to the current. It is equal to R2 + X2, where R = ohmic resistance, X = reactance. For an inductive circuit, X = 2 πfL, where f = frequency and L = self-inductance; for a circuit with capacity X = 1 ÷ 2 πfC, where C = capacity.
[Webster Suppl.]

Impede (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impeded; p. pr. & vb. n. Impeding.] [L. impedire, lit., to entangle the feet; pref. im- in + pes, pedis, foot. See , and cf. .] To hinder; to stop in progress; to obstruct; as, to impede the advance of troops.
[ Webster]

Whatever hinders or impedes
The action of the nobler will. Logfellow.
[ Webster]

Impedible (?), a. Capable of being impeded or hindered. [R.] Jer. Taylor.
[ Webster]

Impediment (?), n. [L. impedimentum: cf. F. impediment.] That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect.
[ Webster]

Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we marched on without impediment. Shak.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Impediment in speech , a defect which prevents distinct utterance.

Syn. -- Hindrance; obstruction; obstacle; difficulty; incumbrance. -- , , , . An impediment literally strikes against our feet, checking our progress, and we remove it. An obstacle rises before us in our path, and we surmount or remove it. A difficulty sets before us something hard to be done, and we encounter it and overcome it. A hindrance holds us back for a time, but we break away from it.
[ Webster]

The eloquence of Demosthenes was to Philip of Macedon, a difficulty to be met with his best resources, an obstacle to his own ambition, and an impediment in his political career. C. J. Smith.
[ Webster]

Impediment, v. t. To impede. [R.] Bp. Reynolds.
[ Webster]

Impedimenta (?), n. pl. [L. See , .] Things which impede or hinder progress; incumbrances; baggage; specif. (Mil.), the supply trains which must accompany an army.

On the plains they will have horses dragging travoises, dogs with travoises, women and children loaded with impedimenta. Julian Ralph.
[Webster Suppl.]

Impedimental (?), a. Of the nature of an impediment; hindering; obstructing; impeditive.
[ Webster]

Things so impedimental to success. G. H. Lewes.
[ Webster]

Impedite (?), a. [L. impeditus, p. p. See .] Hindered; obstructed. [R.] Jer. Taylor.
[ Webster]

Impedite, v. t. To impede. [Obs.] Boyle.
[ Webster]

Impedition (?), n. [L. impeditio.] A hindering; a hindrance. [Obs.] Baxier.
[ Webster]

Impeditive (?), a. [Cf. F. impéditif.] Causing hindrance; impeding. “Cumbersome, and impeditive of motion.” Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Impel (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impelled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impelling.] [L. impellere; pref. im- in + pellere, pulsum, to drive. See a beat, and cf. .] To drive or urge forward or on; to press on; to incite to action or motion in any way.
[ Webster]

The surge impelled me on a craggy coast. Pope.

Syn. -- To instigate; incite; induce; influence; force; drive; urge; actuate; move.
[ Webster]

impelled adj. motivated by an irresistable compulsion.
Syn. -- driven.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

Impellent (?), a. [L. impellens, p. pr. of impellere.] Having the quality of impelling.
[ Webster]

Impellent, n. An impelling power or force. Glanvill.
[ Webster]

Impeller (?), n. One who, or that which, impels.
[ Webster]

Impen (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impenned (?) and Impent (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Impenning.] To shut up or inclose, as in a pen. Feltham.
[ Webster]

Impend (?), v. t. [L. impendĕre; pref. im- in + pendĕre to weigh out, pay.] To pay. [Obs.] Fabyan.
[ Webster]

Impend, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Impended; p. pr. & vb. n. Impending.] [L. impendēre; pref. im- in + pendēre to hang. See .] To hang over; to be suspended above; to threaten from near at hand; to menace; to be imminent. See .
[ Webster]

Destruction sure o'er all your heads impends. Pope.

{ Impendence (?), Impendency (?), } n. The state of impending; the state of being imminent and liable to happen soon; also, that which impends. “Impendence of volcanic cloud.” Ruskin.
Syn. -- imminence, imminency, impendence, forthcomingness.
[ Webster]

Impendent (?), a. [L. impendens, p. pr. of impendēre.] Impending; threatening.
[ Webster]

Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall. Milton.
[ Webster]

Impending, a. Hanging over; overhanging; suspended so as to menace; imminet; threatening.
[ Webster]

An impending brow. Hawthorne.
[ Webster]

And nodding Ilion waits th' impending fall. Pope.

Syn. -- Imminent; threatening. See .
[ Webster]

Impenetrability (?), n. [Cf. F. impénétrabilité.] 1. Quality of being impenetrable.
[ Webster]

2. (Physics) That property in virtue of which two portions of matter can not at the same time occupy the same portion of space.
[ Webster]

3. Insusceptibility of intellectual or emotional impression; obtuseness; stupidity; coldness.
[ Webster]

Impenetrable (?), a. [L. impenetrabilis; pref. im- not + penetrabilis penetrable: cf. F. impénétrable.] 1. Incapable of being penetrated or pierced; not admitting the passage of other bodies; not to be entered; impervious; as, an impenetrable shield.
[ Webster]

Highest woods impenetrable
To star or sunlight. Milton.
[ Webster]

2. (Physics) Having the property of preventing any other substance from occupying the same space at the same time.
[ Webster]

3. Inaccessible, as to knowledge, reason, sympathy, etc.; unimpressible; not to be moved by arguments or motives; as, an impenetrable mind, or heart.
[ Webster]

They will be credulous in all affairs of life, but impenetrable by a sermon of the gospel. Jer. Taylor.
[ Webster]

Impenetrableness (?), n. The quality of being impenetrable; impenetrability.
[ Webster]

Impenetrably, adv. In an impenetrable manner or state; imperviously. “Impenetrably armed.” Milton. “Impenetrably dull.” Pope.
[ Webster]

Impenitence (?), n. [L. impenitentia: cf. F. impénitence.] The condition of being impenitent; failure or refusal to repent; hardness of heart.
[ Webster]

He will advance from one degree of wickedness and impenitence to another. Rogers.
[ Webster]

Impenitency (?), n. Impenitence. Milton.
[ Webster]

Impenitent (?), a. [L. impaenitens; pref. im- not + paenitens penitens: cf. F. impénitent. See .] Not penitent; not repenting of sin; not contrite; of a hard heart. “They . . . died impenitent.” Milton. “A careless and impenitent heart.” Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Impenitent, n. One who is not penitent. [R.]
[ Webster]

Impenitently, adv. Without repentance.
[ Webster]

Impennate (?), a. (Zoöl.) Characterized by short wings covered with feathers resembling scales, as the penguins. -- n. One of the Impennes.
[ Webster]

Impennes (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. pref. im- not + penna feather.] (Zoöl.) An order of birds, including only the penguins, in which the wings are without quills, and not suited for flight.
[ Webster]

Impennous (?) a. [L. pref. im- not + penna wing.] (Zoöl.) Having no wings, as some insects.
[ Webster]

Impeople (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impeopled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Impeopling (?).] [See .] To people; to give a population to. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Thou hast helped to impeople hell. Beaumont.
[ Webster]

Imperant (?), a. [L. imperans, p. pr. of imperare to command.] Commanding. [R.] Baxter.
[ Webster]

Imperate (?), a. [L. imperatus, p. p. of imperare to command.] Done by express direction; not involuntary; communded. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Those imperate acts, wherein we see the empire of the soul. Sir M. Hale.
[ Webster]

Imperatival (?), a. (Gram.) Of or pertaining to the imperative mood.
[ Webster]

Imperative (?), a. [L. imperativus, fr. imperare to command; pref. im- in + parare to make ready, prepare: cf. F. impératif. See , and cf. .] 1. Expressive of command; containing positive command; authoritatively or absolutely directive; commanding; authoritative; as, imperative orders.
[ Webster]

The suit of kings are imperative. Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

2. Not to be avoided or evaded; obligatory; binding; compulsory; as, an imperative duty or order.
[ Webster]

3. (Gram.) Expressive of commund, entreaty, advice, or exhortation; as, the imperative mood.
[ Webster]

Imperative, n. (Gram.) The imperative mood; also, a verb in the imperative mood.
[ Webster]

Imperatively, adv. In an imperative manner.
[ Webster]

Imperator (?), n. [L. See .] (Rom. Antiq.) A commander; a leader; an emperor; -- originally an appellation of honor by which Roman soldiers saluted their general after an important victory. Subsequently the title was conferred as a recognition of great military achievements by the senate, whence it carried wiht it some special privileges. After the downfall of the Republic it was assumed by Augustus and his successors, and came to have the meaning now attached to the word emperor.
[ Webster]

Imperatorial (?), a. [L. imperatorius.] 1. Commanding; imperative; authoritative.
[ Webster]

2. Of or pertaining to the title or office of imperator. “Imperatorial laurels.” C. Merivale.
[ Webster]

Imperatorian (?), a. Imperial. [R.] Gauden.
[ Webster]

Imperatory (?), a. Imperative. [R.]
[ Webster]

Imperceivable (?), a. Imperceptible. [R.] South. -- Imperceivableness, n. Sharp.
[ Webster]

Imperceived (?), a. Not perceived. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Imperceptibility (?), n. The state or quality of being imperceptible.
[ Webster]

Imperceptible (?), a. [Pref. im- not + perceptible: cf. F. imperceptible.] Not perceptible; not to be apprehended or cognized by the senses; not discernible by the mind; not easily apprehended.
[ Webster]

Almost imperceptible to the touch. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Its operation is slow, and in some cases almost imperceptible. Burke.

-- Imperceptibleness, n. -- Imperceptibly, adv.
[ Webster]

Their . . . subtilty and imperceptibleness. Sir M. Hale.
[ Webster]

Imperception (?), n. Lack of perception.
[ Webster]

Imperceptive (?), a. Unable to perceive.
[ Webster]

The imperceptive part of the soul. Dr. H. More.
[ Webster]

Impercipient (?), a. Not perceiving, or not able to perceive. A. Baxter.
[ Webster]

Imperdibility (?), n. The state or quality of being imperdible. [Obs.] Derham.
[ Webster]

Imperdible (?), a. [Pref. im- not + L. perdere to destroy.] Not destructible. [Obs.] -- Imperdibly, adv. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Imperfect (?), a. [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See .] 1. Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.
[ Webster]

Something he left imperfect in the state. Shak.
[ Webster]

Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect. Shak.
[ Webster]

2. Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
[ Webster]

He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person. Jer. Taylor.
[ Webster]

3. Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective.
[ Webster]

Nothing imperfect or deficient left
Of all that he created. Milton.
[ Webster]

Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault;
Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. Pope.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Imperfect arch , an arch of less than a semicircle; a skew arch. -- Coloq. Imperfect cadence (Mus.), one not ending with the tonic, but with the dominant or some other chord; one not giving complete rest; a half close. -- Coloq. Imperfect consonances (Mus.), chords like the third and sixth, whose ratios are less simple than those of the fifth and forth. -- Coloq. Imperfect flower (Bot.), a flower wanting either stamens or pistils. Gray. -- Coloq. Imperfect interval (Mus.), one a semitone less than perfect; as, an imperfect fifth. -- Coloq. Imperfect number (Math.), a number either greater or less than the sum of its several divisors; in the former case, it is called also a defective number; in the latter, an abundant number. -- Coloq. Imperfect obligations (Law), obligations as of charity or gratitude, which cannot be enforced by law. -- Coloq. Imperfect power (Math.), a number which can not be produced by taking any whole number or vulgar fraction, as a factor, the number of times indicated by the power; thus, 9 is a perfect square, but an imperfect cube. -- Coloq. Imperfect tense (Gram.), a tense expressing past time and incomplete action.
[ Webster]

Prev Next

Concept Explore Home

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z