What does imp mean?

Definitions for imp
ɪmpimp

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word imp.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. elf, hob, gremlin, pixie, pixy, brownie, impnoun

    (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous

  2. imp, scamp, monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywagnoun

    one who is playfully mischievous

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Impnoun

    Etymology: imp, Welsh, a shoot, a sprout, a sprig.

    That noble imp your son. Thomas Cromwell, to King Henry.

    And thou, most dreaded imp of highest Jove,
    Fair Venus' son. Fairy Queen, b. i.

    The tender imp was weaned from the teat. Edward Fairfax.

    A lad of life, an imp of fame. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

    Such we deny not to be the imps and limbs of Satan. Hook.

    Him after long debate, irresolute
    Of thoughts revolv'd, his final sentence chose,
    Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom
    To enter, and his dark suggestions hide
    From sharpest sight. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. ix.

    As soon as you can hear his knell,
    This god on earth turns d ———— l in hell;
    And, lo! his ministers of state,
    Transform'd to imps, his levee wait. Jonathan Swift.

  2. To Impverb

    To lengthen or enlarge with any thing adscititious.

    Etymology: impio, to engraff, Welsh.

    If then we shall shake off our slavish yoke,
    Imp out our drooping country's broken wings. William Shakespeare, R. II.

    New rebellions raise
    Their hydra heads, and the false North displays
    Her broken league to imp her serpent wings. John Milton.

    Help, ye tart satyrists, to imp my rage
    With all the scorpions that should whip this age. John Cleveland.

    With cord and canvas from rich Hamburgh sent,
    His navy's molted wings he imps once more. Dryden.

    New creatures rise,
    A moving mass at first, and short of thighs;
    'Till shooting out with legs, and imp'd with wings,
    The grubs proceed to bees with pointed stings. Dryden.

    The Mercury of heav'n, with silver wings
    Impt for the flight, to overtake his ghost. Thomas Southerne.

Wikipedia

  1. Imp

    An imp is a European mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree. Imps are often described as troublesome and mischievous more than seriously threatening or dangerous, and as lesser beings rather than more important supernatural beings. The attendants of the devil are sometimes described as imps. They are usually described as lively and having small stature.

ChatGPT

  1. imp

    "Imp" typically refers to a small, mischievous creature or child, often shown in folklore and mythology as a small demon or devil. It may also refer to a minor or negligible fault or flaw in character. However, the term can also be used in the field of programming as an abbreviation for "implementation".

Webster Dictionary

  1. Impnoun

    a shoot; a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft

  2. Impnoun

    an offspring; progeny; child; scion

  3. Impnoun

    a young or inferior devil; a little, malignant spirit; a puny demon; a contemptible evil worker

  4. Impnoun

    something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen it out or repair it, -- as, an addition to a beehive; a feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; a length of twisted hair in a fishing line

  5. Impnoun

    to graft; to insert as a scion

  6. Impnoun

    to graft with new feathers, as a wing; to splice a broken feather. Hence, Fig.: To repair; to extend; to increase; to strengthen to equip

  7. Etymology: [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. engrafted, innate, fr. to implant; in + to produce; akin to E. be. See 1st In-, Be.]

Wikidata

  1. Imp

    An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Imp

    imp, n. a little devil or wicked spirit: a son, offspring, a pert child.—v.t. (falconry) to mend a broken or defective wing by inserting a feather: to qualify for flight.—adj. Imp′ish, like an imp: fiendish. [A.S. impe—Low L. impotus, a graft—Gr. emphytos, engrafted.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. imp

    One length of twisted hair in a fishing-line.

Suggested Resources

  1. IMP

    What does IMP stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the IMP acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Matched Categories

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of imp in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of imp in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of imp in a Sentence

  1. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal:

    If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is imp (important) to extend it.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

imp#10000#13207#100000

Translations for imp

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • KoboldGerman
  • διαβολάκιGreek
  • kakara, piru, riiviö, pikkupiru, maahinenFinnish
  • diabletoIdo
  • demonietto, diavolettoItalian
  • 邪鬼, 茶目, 悪魔Japanese
  • impLatin
  • kabouter, schelm, aardmannetjeDutch
  • imp, diabełekPolish
  • пострелёнок, дьяволёнок, плуто́вка, него́дник, прока́зница, баловни́к, шалу́н, бесёнок, него́дница, ше́льма, баловни́ца, шалу́нья, прока́зник, плут, чертёнокRussian
  • smådjävulSwedish

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