impress
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: ĭmprĕsʹ
ipa: /ɪmˈpɹɛs/
rhymes: -ɛs
enpr: ĭmʹprĕs
ipa: /ˈɪmpɹɛs/
Forms: form: impresses
form: impressing
form: impressed
form: impressed
Etymology: From Middle English impressen, from Latin impressus, perfect passive participle of imprimere (“to press into or upon, stick, stamp, or dig into”), from in (“in, upon”) + premere (“to press”).
Senses: examples: text: You impressed me with your command of Urdu.
text: Mr. Campion appeared suitably impressed and she warmed to him. He was very easy to talk to with those long clown lines in his pale face, a natural goon, born rather too early she suspected.
ref: 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
text: Okay, so you're a rocket scientist / That don't impress me much
ref: 1998, “That Don't Impress Me Much”, in Come On Over, performed by Shania Twain:
glosses: To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably.
examples: text: Henderson impressed in his first game as captain.
text: Manchester United's Tom Cleverley impressed on his first competitive start and Lampard demonstrated his continued worth at international level in a performance that was little more than a stroll once England swiftly exerted their obvious authority.
ref: 2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: To make an impression, to be impressive.
examples: text: That first view of the Eiger impressed itself on my mind.
glosses: To produce a vivid impression of (something).
examples: text: We impressed our footprints in the wet cement.
glosses: To mark or stamp (something) using pressure.
glosses: To produce (a mark, stamp, image, etc.); to imprint (a mark or figure upon something).
examples: text: impress the motives and methods of persuasion upon our own hearts, till we feel the force and power of them.
ref: 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to imprint; to inculcate.
examples: text: The press gang used to impress people into the Navy.
glosses: To compel (someone) to serve in a military force.
examples: text: The liner was impressed as a troop carrier.
text: the second £5,000 imprest for the service of the sick and wounded prisoners
ref: 1665 April 29 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 19 April 1665]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC:
glosses: To seize or confiscate (property) by force.
Synonyms: alt: transitive: affect strongly and often favourably
word: make an impression on
sense: intransitive: make an impression, be impressive
word: cut a figure
sense: mark or stamp (something) using pressure
word: imprint
sense: mark or stamp (something) using pressure
word: print
sense: mark or stamp (something) using pressure
word: stamp
sense: compel (someone) to serve in a military force
word: pressgang
word: confiscate
word: impound
word: seize
word: sequester