impose
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪmˈpəʊz/
ipa: /ɪmˈpoʊz/
ipa: /ɪmˈpəʉz/
ipa: /əmˈpɐʉz/
rhymes: -əʊz
Forms: form: imposes
form: imposing
form: imposed
form: imposed
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: impose
form: impose
form: imposed
form: impose
form: imposest
form: imposed
form: imposedst
form: imposes
form: imposeth
form: imposed
form: impose
form: imposed
form: impose
form: imposed
form: impose
form: -
form: imposing
form: imposed
Etymology: The verb is derived from Late Middle English imposen (“to place, set; to impose (a duty, etc.)”), borrowed from Middle French imposer, and Old French emposer, enposer (“to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”) (modern French imposer), from im-, em- (variants of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + poser (“to place, put”), modelled after:
* Latin impōnere (“to place or set (something) on; (figurative) to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”), from im- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’)) + pōnō (“to place, put; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó, *h₂epó (“away; off”) + *tḱey- (“to cultivate; to live; to settle”)); and
* Latin impositus (“established; put upon, imposed”), the perfect passive participle of impōnō: see above.
The noun is derived from the verb.
Senses: examples: text: [H]is Svvaine / Strevv'd faire greene Oſiers; and impoſ'd thereon / A good ſoft Sheepeskin, vvhich made him a Throne.
ref: 1614–1615, Homer, “The Sixteenth Book of Homer’s Odysseys”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume II, London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC, page 244:
text: It vvas here likevviſe, in a place vvhere the diſtance betvveen the oppoſite banks cannot exceed five hundred paces, that Xerxes impoſed a ſtupendous bridge of boats, for the purpoſe of tranſporting into Europe an hundred and ſeventy myriads of barbarians.
ref: 1781, Edward Gibbon, “Foundation of Constantinople—Political System of Constantine, and His Successors—Military Discipline—The Palace—The Finances”, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume II, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, pages 7–8:
synonyms: lay
glosses: To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
examples: text: [Jesus] ſaid to them, Suffer the litle children to come vnto me, and prohibit them not, for the kingdom of God is for ſuch. […] And embracing them, and impoſing hands vpon them, he bleſſed them.
ref: 1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Marke 10:14 and 16, page 113:
text: [W]hen Iſraell bleſſed Ephraim and Manaſſes Ioſephs ſonnes, hee impoſed vpon them his hands and prayed, […]
ref: 1597, Richard Hooker, “Of Confirmation after Baptisme”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book V, section 66, page 351:
text: [T]hat the Apoſtolate might be ſucceſſive and perpetuall, Chriſt gave them a povver of ordination, that by impoſing hands on others they might impart that povver vvhich they receiued from Chriſt.
ref: 1642, Jer[emy] Taylor, “§ 3. With a Power of Joyning Others and Appointing Successors in the Apostolate.”, in Of the Sacred Order, and Offices of Episcopacy, by Divine Institution, Apostolicall Tradition, & Catholike Practice. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Leonard Lichfield, printer to the University, →OCLC, page 13:
topics: Christianity
synonyms: lay
glosses: To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
To lay or place (one's hands) on someone as a blessing, during rites of confirmation, ordination, etc.
examples: text: They [pages] are imposed as follows, the illustration showing how the pages appear in the form. […] 18, 24, 32, and 48mo may be imposed in a similar manner, or may be so imposed as to be cut before folding.
ref: 1877, Edward H[enry] Knight, “Imposing”, in Knight’s American Mechanical Dictionary. […], volume II (GAS–REA), New York, N.Y.: Hurd and Houghton […], →OCLC, page 1172, column 1:
topics: media
printing
publishing
synonyms: lay
glosses: To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
To lay (columns or pages of type, or printing plates) arranged in a proper order on the bed of a press or an imposing stone and secure them in a chase in preparation for printing.
synonyms: lay
glosses: To apply, enforce, or establish (something, often regarded as burdensome as a restriction or tax: see sense 1.2.1) with authority.
examples: text: To place or put (something chiefly immaterial, especially something regarded as burdensome as a duty, an encumbrance, a penalty, etc.) on another thing or on someone; to inflict, to repose; also, to place or put (on someone a chiefly immaterial thing, especially something regarded as burdensome).
Social relations impose courtesy.
1948 October 27 (date delivered), Harry S. Truman, “Address at Mechanics Hall in Boston”, in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman: Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President: January 1 to December 31, 1948, Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, General Services Administration; United States Government Printing Office, published 1964, →OCLC, page 884, column 1:
[W]e don't want any Communist government in the United States of America. And if the people of other countries don't want communism, we don't want to see it imposed upon them against their will.
1950 March, H. A. Vallance, “On Foot Across the Forth Bridge”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 149:
Detailed records are kept of the strains imposed on the bridge by the violent gales that frequently sweep the firth, and a self-recording wind gauge is fixed on the top of the tower.
1975 February 11, Marian Christy, quoting Suzy Chaffee, “Suzy Chaffee‘s choice on nude photos”, in Boston Evening Globe (Living section), final edition, volume 207, number 42, Boston, Mass.: The Globe Newspaper Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 25, column 5:
It's foolish for society to impose the restriction of one man to the married woman. I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity but I think it's possible for a woman to have many kinds of relationships with many men and that shouldn't affect the status of the marriage. The husband, in turn, should have the same freedoms.
2011 December 10, Arindam Rej, “Norwich 4 – 2 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2023:
Norwich soon began imposing themselves on that patched-up defence with [Grant] Holt having their best early chance, only to see it blocked by [Danny] Simpson.
To force or put (a thing) on someone or something by deceit or stealth; to foist, to obtrude.
(UK, school or university slang) To subject (a student) to imposition (“a task inflicted as punishment”).
(archaic or obsolete) To appoint (someone) to be in authority or command over other people.
(obsolete) To accuse someone of (a crime, or a sin or other wrongdoing); to charge, to impute.
1804, Thomas of Kempis [i.e., Thomas à Kempis], “For Passion Sunday. [Of Seven Most Remarkable Points to be Thought upon in Christ’s Passion.]”, in [anonymous], transl., Viator Christianus, or, The Christian Traveller. […], Dublin: […] T. Codd, […], →OCLC, paragraph 21, page 148:
Thou falſely impoſeſt a capital crime upon him [Jesus], namely, that he made himſelf a King, whereas he never uſed any royal ornaments, according to the pomp of this world.
(obsolete) To put (a conclusion or end) to something definitively.
text: Congress imposed new tariffs.
text: Sanctions were imposed on the country that had made an unprovoked attack on its neighbour.
text: In crueltie and outrage ſhe did pas, / To proue her ſurname true, that ſhe impoſed has.
ref: 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 49, page 295:
text: Great alſo is the glorie of thoſe Britans, […] For they not only ſeated themſelves, there maugre the Romans, (then indeede lovv, and neare ſetting,) and the French: but alſo impoſed their name to the countrey, held an defended the ſame againſt the French, vntill in our grandfathers memorie, it vvas vnited to France by the ſacred bonds of matrimonie.
ref: 1605, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], “The Inhabitants of Britaine”, in Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Simon Waterson, →OCLC, page 8:
text: Thou on the deep impoſeſt Nobler lavvs, / And by that Juſtice haſt remov'd the cauſe / Of thoſe rude tempeſts vvhich for rapine ſent, / Too oft, alas, involv'd the innocent.
ref: 1664, Edmond [i.e., Edmund] Waller, “To the King on His Navy”, in Poems, &c. Written upon Several Occasions, and to Several Persons. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, pages 1–2:
text: New Jersey was reeling on Wednesday from the impact of Hurricane Sandy, […] Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting.
ref: 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, “New Jersey reels from storm's thrashing”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Apr 2023:
text: But it is not onely the Difficultie, and Labour, vvhich Men take in finding out of Truth; nor againe, that vvhen it is found, it impoſeth vpon mens Thoughts; that doth bring Lies in fauour: But a naturall, though corrupt Loue, of the Lie it ſelfe.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Truth”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, pages 1–2:
text: But I perceive they do think that I know too much, and shall impose upon whomever shall come next, and therefore must be removed, […]
ref: 1669 April 9 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “March 30th, 1669”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume VIII, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1896, →OCLC, page 279:
text: From no task Thou, Creator, imposedst! Creation / Revealed me no object, from insect to Man, / But bore Thy hand's impress: […]
ref: 1887, Robert Browning, “Fust and His Friends: An Epilogue”, in Parleyings with Certain People of Importance in Their Day: […], London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 253:
synonyms: lay
glosses: Chiefly followed by on or upon.
To affect authoritatively or forcefully; to influence strongly.
examples: text: I don’t wish to impose upon you.
text: [T]hey do not rob the King of any right he ever had, for he never had a power to do hurt to his people, nor would exercise it: and therefore there is no danger, in the passing this Bill, of imposing on his prerogative; […]
ref: 1667 January 19 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “January 9th, 1666–1667”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume VI, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1895, →OCLC, page 127:
text: Your character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr. Wickham. On this subject, what can you have to say? In what imaginary act of friendship can you here defend yourself? or under what misrepresentation can you here impose upon others?"
ref: 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XI, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume II, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 129:
text: In the same year as the Furness objection, sadder tidings befell St Pancras Priory at Lewes, in East Sussex. Despite it having the distinction of being the earliest Cluniac monastery in Great Britain, petitions to prevent the Brighton Lewes & Hastings Railway from imposing on its site with its Lewes line failed. The line was approved and, as if as an act of deliberate desecration and assertion of the railways' power, passed over the site of the high altar.
ref: 2022 January 12, Joseph Brennan, “Castles: Ruined and Redeemed by Rail”, in Rail, number 948, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 57:
glosses: Chiefly followed by on or upon.
To encroach or intrude, especially in a manner regarded as unfair or unwarranted; to presume, to take advantage of; also, to be a burden or inconvenience.
synonyms: presume
examples: text: Know, that thou imposedst upon my sire and deceivedst him by dint of thy deluding vaunts, so that of his greed for gain he married me to thee.
ref: 1886, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Ma’aruf the Cobbler and His Wife Fatimah. [Night 994.]”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume X, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 23:
glosses: Chiefly followed by on or upon.
To practise deceit or stealth; to cheat, to deceive, to trick.
examples: text: To impoſe upon all things brought into the Kin[g]dome is very ancient: vvhich impoſing vvhen it hath been continued a certain time, is them called Cuſtomes, becauſe the ſubjects are accuſtomed to pay it, and yet the great taxe upon vvine is ſtill called Impoſt, becauſe it vvas impoſed after the ordinary rate of payment, had laſted many years.
ref: a. 1619 (date written), Walter Raleigh, “The Prerogative of Parliaments in England. Proved in a Dialogue between a Councellour of State, and a Justice of Peace. […]”, in Remains of Sir Walter Raleigh; […], London: […] William Sheares […], published 1661, →OCLC, page 96:
text: [W]hoso rhymes a sonnet pays a tax, / Who paints a landscape dips brush at his cost, / Who scores a septett true for strings and wind / Mulcted must be—else how should I impose / Properly, attitudinize aright, / Did such conflicting claims as these divert / Hohenstiel-Schwangau from observing me?
ref: 1871 December, Robert Browning, Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau, Saviour of Society, London: Smith, Elder and Co., →OCLC, page 124:
glosses: Chiefly followed by on or upon.
To subject to an impost, levy, tax, etc.
Synonyms: enjoin
force
inflict
lay
Derived terms: word: imposability
word: imposable
word: imposal
word: imposed
word: imposement
english: except India
translation: except India
word: imposement
word: imposer
word: imposex
word: imposing
word: imposing stone
word: imposing table
word: imposure
word: nonimposed
word: overimpose
word: preimpose
word: reimpose
word: reimposer
word: self-imposed
word: subimpose
word: superimpose
word: superimposed
word: superimposer
word: superimposing
word: superimposure
word: unimposed
Related terms: imposition
impost
postpone
propone
propose
reimposition
superimposition