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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

impress en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɪmpɹɛs/
  • ĭmʹprĕs
  • (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *per-? Proto-Indo-European *pres-der. Proto-Italic *pres- Latin premō Latin imprimō Latin impressusder. Middle English impressen English impress 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”).

Meanings

  1. The act of impressing.
  2. An impression; an impressed image or copy of something.
    • This weak impress of love is as a figure / Trenched in ice. c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
    • We know that you were pressed for money, that you took an impress of the keys which your brother held […] 1908, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans, Norton, published 2005, page 1330:
  3. A stamp or seal used to make an impression.
  4. An impression on the mind, imagination etc.
    • Such admonitions, in the English of the Authorized Version, left an indelible impress on imaginations nurtured on the Bible […] 2007, John Burrow, A History of Histories, Penguin, published 2009, page 187:
  5. Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp.
    • As he himself [Sir Nigel Gresley] would doubtless have wished, he died in harness; only a few weeks previously he had been present at the first public view of his latest design, the Bantam Cock, which, like most of his products, bore all over it the impress of his personality. 1941 June, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practive and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 260:
    • we have God surveying the works of the creation, and leaving this general impress or character upon them 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
  6. A heraldic device; an impresa.
    • To describe […] emblazon'd Shields, / Impreses quaint. 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
    • It commonly occurred that Knights who , on entering the Lists , wished to conceal their identity , would assume a Device with an allusive Motto , which was designated an IMPRESS 1869, John Edwin Cussans, Handbook of Heraldry:
  7. The act of impressing, or taking by force for the public service; compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed.
    • Why such impress of shipwrights? c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
impresses Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

impressable · impressed · impressment · impressively · impressive · unimpress · impression · underimpress · reimpress · impressible · impresser · overimpress · impresstaurant

Translations (19)

mk пе́чат (stamp or seal used to make an impression) · bg щемпел (stamp or seal used to make an impression) · fi painaminen (act of impressing) · bg впечатляване (act of impressing) · mk дејству́вање (act of impressing) · fi vaikutus (impression on the mind, imagination) · fi pakko-otto (act of taking by force for the public service) · ru о́ттиск (stamp or seal used to make an impression) · cy argraff (impressed image or copy) · fi painate (impressed image or copy) · es impresión (impressed image or copy) · bg печат (stamp or seal used to make an impression) · bg впечатление (impressed image or copy) · fi leima (characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp) · fi leimaaminen (act of impressing) · fi meisti (stamp or seal used to make an impression) · cy gwneud argraff (act of impressing) · fi vaikutuksen tekeminen (act of impressing) · fi leimasin (stamp or seal used to make an impression)

impress en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • ĭmprĕsʹ
  • /ɪmˈpɹɛs/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *per-? Proto-Indo-European *pres-der. Proto-Italic *pres- Latin premō Latin imprimō Latin impressusder. Middle English impressen English impress 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”).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably; to inspire admiration from (someone).
    • 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. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
    • You impressed me with your command of Urdu.
    • Okay, so you're a rocket scientist / That don't impress me much 1998, “That Don't Impress Me Much”, in Come On Over, performed by Shania Twain:
  2. (intransitive, transitive) To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably; to inspire admiration from (someone). ▸ To make an impression; to be impressive; to arouse interest or favor.
    • 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. 2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:
    • Henderson impressed in his first game as captain.
  3. (transitive) To mark or stamp (something) using pressure; to apply (something) using pressure.
    • Then he impresses the die into the clay to produce a design on the surface.
    • We impressed our footprints in the wet cement.
  4. (transitive) To mark or stamp (something) using pressure; to apply (something) using pressure. ▸ To produce (a mark, stamp, image, etc.); to imprint (a mark or figure upon something).
    • He impressed his signature into the wax.
  5. (figuratively, intransitive, reflexive, transitive) To mark or stamp (something) using pressure; to apply (something) using pressure. ▸ To produce a vivid impression of (something); to convince someone of one's nature.
    • That first view of the Eiger impressed itself on my mind.
    • I will impress the schedule upon her.
    • She impressed as a good candidate for the job.
  6. (figuratively, transitive) To mark or stamp (something) using pressure; to apply (something) using pressure. ▸ To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to cause someone to understand and accept something.
    • impress the motives and methods of persuasion upon our own hearts, till we feel the force and power of them. 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
    • She is impressing the rules onto the students.
    • The doctor impressed the importance of the diet to me.
    • You have to impress the new vocabulary into your mind.
  7. (transitive) To transfer or transmit.
    • His actions impress a message of selfishness to us all.
    • The money was impressed into the hands of the financial ministry.
  8. (figuratively, transitive) To transfer or transmit. ▸ To transfer voltage onto metalwork through induced or capacitative processes.
    • This process will impress voltage into the metal.
  9. (transitive) To compel (someone) to serve in a military force.
    • The press gang used to impress people into the Navy.
  10. (historical, transitive) To compel (someone) to serve in a military force. ▸ To seize or confiscate (property) by force, especially for military use.
    • The liner was impressed as a troop carrier.
    • the second £5,000 imprest for the service of the sick and wounded prisoners 1665 April 28 (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:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
impresses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
impressing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
impressed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
impressed Tense=Past lexicographic

Synonyms

pressgang · stamp · press · cut a figure · pressgang · grab · impound · print · burn · sequester · make an impression · seize · make an impression · confiscate · imprint · pass · pass · imprint · press · press · inculcate · press · grab

Translations (63)

ru производи́ть впечатле́ние ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · de prägen (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · fi tehdä vaikutus ((intransitive) make an impression) · it confiscare (seize or confiscate (property) by force) · hy տպավորել ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · la imprimō (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · fi tehdä vaikutus ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · hu belenyom (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · hu rányom (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · hy տպավորել ((intransitive) make an impression) · fr impressionner ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · lb beandrocken ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nb gjere inntrykk ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · pt impressionar ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nb gjere inntrykk ((intransitive) make an impression) · cy gwneud argraff ar ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · fi painaa (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · bg подпечатвам (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · es impresionar ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · fi tehdä vaikutus (produce a vivid impression of) · nb gjere inntrykk (produce a vivid impression of) · mi muru raupatu (seize or confiscate (property) by force) · tr etkilemek ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · ru импонировать ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · sh izazivati divljenje ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nrf prêssi (compel (someone) to serve in a military force) · bg впечатлявам ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · pt imprimir (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · nb imponere ((intransitive) make an impression) · ga téigh i bhfeidhm ar ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · eo impresi ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · it imprimere (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · ru впечатлять ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · sh imponirati ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · es impresionar ((intransitive) make an impression) · mi pēpēhi (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · hu nyom (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · de beeindrucken ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · pt impressionar ((intransitive) make an impression) · ru впечатлять (produce a vivid impression of) · nb imponere ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · el εντυπωσιάζω ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · mi whakangoto (mark or stamp (something) using pressure) · nb gjøre inntrykk (produce a vivid impression of) · hu lenyűgöz ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · mi pēpēhi ((intransitive) make an impression) · it impressionare ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nb imponere ((intransitive) make an impression) · it requisire (seize or confiscate (property) by force) · bg внушавам (produce a vivid impression of) · nb gjøre inntrykk ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · ca impressionar ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nl imponeren ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · cy gwneud argraff ((intransitive) make an impression) · nb gjøre inntrykk ((intransitive) make an impression) · fi pakottaa (compel (someone) to serve in a military force) · fi takavarikoida (seize or confiscate (property) by force) · af beïndruk ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · ru произвести́ впечатле́ние ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · pt impressionar (produce a vivid impression of) · nl ronselen (compel (someone) to serve in a military force) · nb imponere ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably) · nl indruk maken ((transitive) affect (someone) strongly and often favourably)