Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

IMPOSTHUMATE — IMPROVIDENTLY

IMPOSTHUMATE, v.i. impos’tumate. [See Imposthume.]

To form an abscess; to gather; to collect pus or purulent matter in any part of an animal body.

IMPOSTHUMATE, v.t. To affect with an imposthume or abscess.

IMPOSTHUMATED, pp. Affected with an imposthume.

IMPOSTHUMATION, n. The act of forming an abscess; also, an abscess; an imposthume.

IMPOSTHUME, n. impos’tume. [This word is a corruption of apostem, L. apostema; Gr. to separate, to withdraw, or to stand off; to stand.]

An abscess; a collection of pus or purulent matter in any part of an animal body.

[This word and its derivatives, being mere corruptions, might well be suffered to pass into oblivion.]

IMPOSTHUME, v.i. The same as imposthumate.

IMPOSTOR, n. [Low L. impostor, from impono. See Impose.]

One who imposes on others; a person who assumes a character for the purpose of deception; a deceiver under a false character. It seems to be yet unsettled, whether Perkin Warbeck was an impostor. A religious impostor may be one who assumes the character of a preacher, without authority; or one who falsely pretends to an extraordinary commission from heaven, and terrifies people with denunciations of judgments.

IMPOSTURAGE, n. Imposition. [Not in use.]

IMPOSTURE, n. [L. impostura. See Impose.]

Deception practiced under a false or assumed character; fraud or imposition practiced by a false pretender.

--Form new legends,

And fill the world with follies and impostures.

IMPOSTURED, a. Having the nature of imposture.

IMPOSTUROUS, a. Deceitful. [Not used.]

IMPOTENCE, IMPOTENCY, n. [L. impotentia; in and potentia, from possum. See Power.]

1. Want of strength or power, animal or intellectual; weakness; feebleness; inability; imbecility; defect of power, natural or adventitious, to perform any thing.

Some were poor by the impotency of nature; as young fatherless children, old decrepit persons, idiots and cripples.

The impotence of exercising animal motion attends fevers.

2. Moral inability; the want of power or inclination to resist or overcome habits and natural propensities.

3. Inability to beget.

4. Ungovernable passion; a Latin signification. [Little used.]

IMPOTENT, a. [L. impotens.]

1. Weak; feeble; wanting strength or power; unable by nature, or disabled by disease or accident to perform any act.

I know thou wast not slow to hear,

Nor impotent to save.

2. Wanting the power of propagation, as males.

3. Wanting the power of restraint; not having the command over; as impotent of tongue.

IMPOTENT, n. One who is feeble, infirm, or languishing under disease.

IMPOTENTLY, adv. Weakly; without power over the passions.

IMPOUND, v.t. [in and pound. See Pound.]

1. To put, shut or confine in a pound or close pen; as, to impound unruly or stray horses, cattle, etc.

2. To confine; to restrain within limits.

IMPOUNDED, pp. Confined in a pound.

IMPOUNDER, n. One who impounds the beasts of another.

IMPOUNDING, ppr. Confining in a pound; restraining.

IMPOVERISH, v.t.

1. To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence. Idleness and vice are sure to impoverish individuals and families.

2. To exhaust strength, richness or fertility; as, to impoverish land by frequent cropping.

IMPOVERISHED, pp. Reduced to poverty; exhausted.

IMPOVERISHER, n. One who makes others poor.

1. That which impairs fertility.

IMPOVERISHING, ppr. Making poor; exhausting.

IMPOVERISHMENT, n. Depauperation; a reducing to indigence; exhaustion; drain of wealth, richness or fertility.

IMPOWER. [See Empower.]

IMPRACTICABILITY, IMPRACTICABLENESS, n. [See Impracticable.]

1. The state or quality of being beyond human power, or the means proposed; infeasibility.

2. Untractableness; stubbornness.

IMPRACTICABLE, a. [in and practicable. See Practice.]

1. That cannot be done or performed; infeasible; not to be effected by human means, or by the means proposed. It is impracticable for a man to lift a ton by his unassisted strength; but not impracticable for a man aided by a mechanical power.

2. Untractable; unmanageable; stubborn; as a fierce, impracticable nature.

3. That cannot be passed or traveled; as an impracticable road; a colloquial sense.

IMPRACTICABLY, adv. In a manner or degree that hinders practice.

--Morality not impracticably rigid.

IMPRECATE, v.t. [L. imprecor; in and precor, to pray. See Pray.]

To invoke, as an evil on any one; to pray that a curse or calamity may fall on one’s self or on another person.

IMPRECATED, pp. Invoked on one, as some evil.

IMPRECATING, ppr. Calling for evil on one’s self or another.

IMPRECATION, n. [L. imprecatio.] The act of imprecating, or invoking evil on any one; a prayer that a curse or calamity may fall on any one.

IMPRECATORY, a. Containing a prayer for evil to befall a person.

IMPRECISION, n. s as z. [in and precision.]

Want of precision or exactness; defect of accuracy.

IMPREGN, v.t. impre’ne. [L. in and proegnans. See Pregnant.]

To impregnate; to infuse the seed of young, or other prolific principle. [Used in poetry. See Impregnate.]

IMPREGNABLE, a.

1. Not to be stormed, or taken by assault; that cannot be reduced by force; able to resist attack; as an impregnable fortress.

2. Not to be moved, impressed or shaken; invincible.

The man’s affection remains wholly unconcerned and impregnable.

IMPREGNABLY, adv. In a manner to resist penetration or assault; in a manner to defy force; as a place impregnably fortified.

IMPREGNATE, v.t. [See Pregnant.]

1. To infuse the principle of conception; to make pregnant, as a female animal.

2. To deposit the fecundating dust of a flower on the pistils of a plant; to render prolific.

3. To infuse particles of one thing into another; to communicate the virtues or one thing to another, as in pharmacy, by mixture, digestion, etc.

IMPREGNATE, a. Impregnated; rendered prolific or fruitful.

IMPREGNATED, a. Made pregnant or prolific; fecundated; filled with something by mixture, etc.

IMPREGNATING, ppr. Infusing seed or pollen; rendering pregnant; fructifying; fecundating; filling by infusion or mixture.

IMPREGNATION, n. The act of fecundating and rendering fruitful; applied to animals or plants.

1. The communication of the particles or virtues of one thing to another.

2. That with which any thing is impregnated.

3. Saturation.

IMPREJUDICATE, a. [L. in, proe, and judico.]

Not prejudged; unprejudiced; not prepossessed; impartial. [Not used.]

IMPREPARATION, n. [in and preparation.] Want of preparation; unpreparedness; unreadiness. [Little used.]

IMPRESCRIPTIBILITY, n. The state of being independent of prescription; the state which renders a thing not liable to be lost or impaired by the prescription of another, or by one’s own non-user.

IMPRESCRIPTIBLE, a. [L. proescribo; proe and scribo, to write.]

That cannot be lost or impaired by non-user, or by the claims of another founded on prescription.

Rights of mere ability which a man may use or not at pleasure, without any person’s having a right to prescribe to me on that subject, are imprescriptible.

The rights of navigation, fishing, and others that may be exercised on the sea, belonging to the right of mere ability, are imprescriptible.

IMPRESS, v.t. [L. impressum, from imprimo; in and premo, to press.]

1. To imprint; to stamp; to make a mark or figure on any thing by pressure; as, to impress coin with the figure of a man’s head, or with that of any ox or sheep; to impress a figure on wax or clay.

2. To print, as books.

3. To mark; to indent.

4. To fix deep; as, to impress truth on the mind, or facts on the memory. Hence, to convict of sin.

5. To compel to enter into public service, as seamen; to seize and take into service by compulsion, as nurses in sickness. In this sense, we use press or impress indifferently.

6. To seize; to take for public service; as, to impress provisions.

IMPRESS, n. A mark or indentation, made by pressure.

1. The figure or image of any thing made by pressure; stamp; likeness.

2. Mark of distinction; stamp; character.

God leaves us this general impress or character on the works of creation, that they were very good.

3. Device; motto.

To describe emblazoned shields,

Impresses quaint--

4. The act of compelling to enter public service. [See Press.]

IMPRESSED, pp. Imprinted; stamped; marked by pressure; compelled to enter public service; seized for public use; fixed in the mind; made sensible; convinced.

IMPRESSIBILITY, n. The quality of being impressible.

IMPRESSIBLE, a. That may be impressed; that yields to pressure; that may receive impressions. Solid bodies are not easily impressible.

1. That may be impressed; that may have its figure stamped on another body.

IMPRESSING, ppr. Imprinting; stamping; fixing in the mind; compelling into service.

IMPRESSION, n. [L. impressio.] The act of impressing, as one body on another; as a figure made by impression.

1. Mark; indentation; stamp made by pressure; as, a seal makes an impression on wax.

2. The effect which objects produce on the mind. Thus we say, the truths of the gospel make an impression on the mind; they make no impression, or a deep and lasting impression. The heart is impressed with love or gratitude. We lie open to the impressions of flattery.

3. Image in the mind; idea.

4. Sensible effect. The artillery made no impression on the fort. The attack made no impression on the enemy.

5. A single edition of a book; the books printed at once; as a copy of the last impression. The whole impression of the work was sold in a month.

6. Slight, indistinct remembrance. I have an impression that the fact was stated to me, but I cannot clearly recollect it.

IMPRESSIVE, a. Making or tending to make an impression; having the power of affecting, or of exciting attention and feeling; adapted to touch sensibility or the conscience; as an impressive discourse; an impressive scene.

1. Capable of being impressed; susceptible.

IMPRESSIVELY, adv. In a manner to touch sensibility, or to awaken conscience; in a manner to produce a powerful effect on the mind.

IMPRESSIVENESS, n. The quality of being impressive.

IMPRESSMENT, n. The act of impressing men into public service; as the impressment of seamen.

1. The act of compelling into any service; as the impressment of nurses to attend the sick.

2. The act of seizing for public use; as the impressment of provisions for the army.

IMPRESSURE, n. The mark made by pressure; indentation; dent; impression.

IMPREST, n. A kind of earnest-money; loan; money advanced.

IMPREST, v.t. To advance on loan.

IMPREVALENCE, n. Incapability of prevailing.

IMPRIMATUR, n. [L. let it be printed.]

A license to print a book, etc.

IMPRIMERY, n. A print; impression; a printing-house; art of printing. [Not in use.]

IMPRIMIS, adv. [L. imprimis, for in primis.]

In the first place; first in order.

IMPRINT, v.t. [L. imprimo; in and premo, to press. See Print.]

1. To impress; to make by pressure; as a character or device imprinted on wax or cloth.

2. To stamp letters and words on paper by means of types; to print.

3. To fix on the mind or memory; to impress. Let your father’s admonitions and instructions be imprinted on your mind.

IMPRINTED, pp. Marked by pressure; printed; fixed in the mind or memory.

IMPRINTING, ppr. Marking by pressure; printing; fixing on the mind or memory.

IMPRISON, v.t. impriz’n.

1. To put into a prison; to confine in a prison or jail, or to arrest and detain in custody in any place.

2. To confine; to shut up; to restrain from escape; to deprive of the liberty to move from place to place; as, to be imprisoned in a cell.

He imprisoned was in chains remediless.

Try to imprison the resistless winds.

IMPRISONED, pp. Confined in a prison or jail; restrained from escape or from going at large.

IMPRISONING, ppr. Shutting up in prison; confining in a place.

IMPRISONMENT, n. The act of putting and confining in prison; the act of arresting and detaining in custody.

1. Confinement in a place; restraint of liberty to go from place to place at pleasure. Appropriately, the confinement of a criminal or debtor within the walls of a prison, or in the custody of a sheriff, etc.

False imprisonment is any confinement of the person, or restraint of liberty, without legal or sufficient authority. The arrest or detention of the person by an officer without warrant, or by an illegal warrant, or by a legal warrant executed at an unlawful time, is false imprisonment.

IMPROBABILITY, n. [See Improbable.] The quality of being improbable, or not likely to be true; unlikelihood.

IMPROBABLE, a. [L. improbabilis; in and probabilis, from probo, to prove.] Not likely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances of the case. It is always improbable that men will knowingly oppose their own interest; yet the fact is possible. It is improbable that snow will fall in July, but not incredible.

IMPROBABLY, adv. In a manner not likely to be true.

1. In a manner not to be approved.

IMPROBATE, v.t. [L. improbo.] To disallow; not to approve. [Not used.]

IMPROBATION, n. The act of disapproving. [Not in use.]

IMPROBITY, n. [L. improbitas; in and probitas, from probo, to approve.] That which is disapproved or disallowed; want of integrity or rectitude of principle; dishonesty. A man of unknown improbity is always suspected, and usually despised.

IMPRODUCED, a. Not produced. [Not in use.]

IMPROFICIENCY, n. Want of proficiency.

IMPROFITABLE, a. Unprofitable. [Not in use.]

IMPROMPTU, adv. [L. in promptu, in readiness, from promptus, ready, quick.] Off hand; without previous study; as a verse uttered or written impromptu.

IMPROMPTU, n. A piece made off hand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition.

IMPROPER, a. [L. improprius; in and proprius, proper.]

1. Not proper; not suitable; not adapted to its end; unfit; as an improper medicine for a particular disease; an improper regulation.

2. Not becoming; not decent; not suited to the character, time or place; as improper conduct in church; improper behavior before superiors; an improper speech.

3. Not according to the settled usages or principles of a language; as an improper word or phrase.

4. Not suited to a particular place or office; unqualified; as, he is an improper man for the office.

IMPROPERLY, adv. Not fitly; in a manner not suited to the end; in a manner not suited to the company, time, place and circumstances; unsuitably; incongruously.

1. In a manner not according with established usages; inaccurately; ungrammatically; as, to speak or write improperly.

IMPROPITIOUS, a. Not propitious; unpropitious.

[The latter is the word in use.]

IMPROPORTIONABLE, a. Not proportionable. [Little used.]

IMPROPORTIONATE, a. Not proportionate; not adjusted. [Little used.]

IMPROPRIATE, v.t. [L. in and proprius, proper.]

1. To appropriate to private use; to take to one’s self; as, to impropriate thanks to one’s self. [Not used.]

2. To annex the possessions of the church or a benefice to a layman.

IMPROPRIATE, a. Devolved into the hands of a layman.

IMPROPRIATED, pp. Appropriated to one’s self. [See Appropriated.]

1. Put in possession of a layman.

IMPROPRIATING, ppr. Appropriating to one’s self.

1. Annexing to a lay proprietor.

IMPROPRIATION, n. The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice into the hands of a layman.

1. The benefice impropriated.

IMPROPRIATOR, n. A layman who has possession of the lands of the church or an ecclesiastical living.

IMPROPRIETY, n. [L. improprius. See Improper.]

1. Unfitness; unsuitableness to character, time, place or circumstances; as impropriety of behavior or manners. Levity of conduct is an impropriety in a religious assembly and at a funeral. Rudeness or forwardness in young persons before their superiors, is impropriety. Indecency and indecorum are improprieties.

2. Inaccuracy in language; a word or phrase not according with the established usages or principles of speaking or writing.

Many gross improprieties, however authorized by practice, ought to be discarded.

IMPROSPERITY, n. Unprosperity; want of success.

IMPROSPEROUS, a. [in and prosperous.] Not prosperous; not successful; unfortunate; not yielding profit; not advancing interest; as an improsperous undertaking or voyage.

[Unprosperous is the word most generally used in the sense.]

IMPROSPEROUSLY, adv. Unsuccessfully; unprosperously; unfortunately.

IMPROSPEROUSNESS, n. Ill success; want of prosperity.

IMPROVABILITY, n. [See Improvable.] The state or quality of being capable of improvement; susceptibility of being made better.

IMPROVABLE, a. [See Improve.] Susceptible of improvement; capable of growing or being made better; that may be advanced in good qualities.

We have stock enough, and that too of an improvable nature, that is capable of infinite advancement.

Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his faculties.

I have a fine spread of improvable lands.

1. That may be used to advantage, or for the increase of any thing valuable.

The essays of weaker heads afford improvable hints to better.

2. Capable of tillage or cultivation.

A scarcity of improvable lands began to be felt in these colonies.

IMPROVABLENESS, n. Susceptibility of improvement; capableness of being made better, or of being used to advantage.

IMPROVE, v.t. improov’. [L. in and probo, to prove, or the adjective probus.]

1. To make better; to advance in value or good qualities. We amend a bad, but improve a good thing.

A good education improves the mind and the manners. A judicious rotation of crops tends to improve land.

2. To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to use for advantage; to employ for advancing interest, reputation or happiness.

Many opportunities occur of improving money, which, if a man misses, he may not afterwards recover.

Melissus was a man of parts, capable or enjoying and improving life.

True policy as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion.

This success was not improved.

Those who enjoy the advantage of better instruction, should improve their privileges.

They were aware of the advantages of their position, and improved them with equal skill and diligence.

Those moments were diligently improved.

The candidate improved his advantages.

A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved.

Whatever interest we have at the throne of grace, should be improved in behalf of others.

The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity.

My lords, no time should be lost, which may promise to improve this disposition in America.

If we neglect to improve our knowledge to the ends for which it was given--

It is the fault of persons not improving that light.

The shorter the time--the more eager were they to improve it.

A young minister wishing to improve the occasion--

3. To apply to practical purposes; as, to improve a discourse, or the doctrines stated and proved in a sermon.

4. To advance or increase by use; in a bad sense.

I fear we have not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors.

5. To use; to employ; as, to improve a witness of a deposition.

Let even the coach, the inns, or the ships be improved as openings for useful instruction.

6. To use; to occupy; to cultivate. The house or the farm is now improved by an industrious tenant.

This application is perhaps peculiar to some parts of the U. States. It however deviates little from that in some of the forgoing definitions.

IMPROVE, v.i. improov’. To grow better or wiser; to advance in goodness, knowledge, wisdom or other excellence. We are pleased to see our children improve in knowledge and virtue. A farm improves under judicious management. The artisan improves by experience. It is the duty, as it is the desire of a good man, to improve in grace and piety.

We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence.

1. To advance in bad qualities; to grow worse.

Domitian improved in cruelty toward the end of his reign.

[I regret to see this word thus used, or rather perverted.]

2. To increase; to be enhanced; to rise.

The price of cotton improves, or is improved.

[A mercantile and modern use of the word.]

To improve on, to make useful additions or amendments to; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage usually practiced.

IMPROVED, pp. Made better, wiser or more excellent; advanced immoral worth, knowledge or manners.

1. Made better; advanced in fertility or other good qualities.

2. Used to profit or good purpose; as opportunities of learning improved.

3. Used; occupied; as improved land.

IMPROVEMENT, n. improov’ment. Advancement in moral worth, learning, wisdom, skill or other excellence; as the improvement of the mind or of the heart by cultivation; improvement in classical learning, science or mechanical skill; improvement in music; improvement in holiness.

1. Melioration; a making or growing better, or more valuable; as the improvement of barren or exhausted land; the improvement of the roads; the improvement of the breed of horses or cattle.

2. A valuable addition; excellence added, or a change for the better; sometimes with on.

The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are improvements on the Greek poet.

3. Advance or progress from any state to a better.

There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several improvements and decays.

4. Instruction; growth in knowledge or refinement; edification.

I look upon your city as the best place of improvement.

5. Use or employment to beneficial purposes; a turning to good account; as the improvement of natural advantages or spiritual privileges.

A good improvement of his reason.

6. Practical application; as the improvement of the doctrines and principles of a sermon.

I shall make some improvement of this doctrine.

Hence,

7. The part of a discourse intended to enforce and apply the doctrines, is called the improvement.

8. Use; occupancy.

9. Improvements, plu., valuable additions or melioration, as building, clearings, drains, fences, etc., on a farm.

IMPROVER, n. One who improves; one who makes himself or any thing else better; as an improver of horses or cattle.

1. That which improves, enriches or meliorates; as chalk is an improver of lands.

IMPROVIDED, a. [L. improvisus; in and provideo, to foresee or provide.] Unforeseen; unexpected; not provided against.

IMPROVIDENCE, n. [L. in and providens, providentia, from pro, before, and video, to see.]

Want of providence or forecast; neglect of foresight, or of the measures which foresight might dictate for safety or advantage. Half the inconveniences and losses which men suffer are the effects of improvidence.

IMPROVIDENT, a. [L. in and providens; pro and video, supra.]

Wanting forecast; not foreseeing what will be necessary or convenient, or neglecting the measures which foresight would dictate; wanting care to make provision for future exigences. Seamen are proverbially improvident. It is sometimes followed by of; as improvident of harm.

IMPROVIDENTLY, adv. Without foresight or forecast; without care to provide against future wants.