impose

See also: imposé

EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Middle French imposer (“to lay on, impose”), taking the place of Latin imponere (“to lay on, impose”), from in (“on, upon”) + ponere (“to put place”).

PronunciationEdit

(General American) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpoʊz/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpəʊz/
Audio (US)
(file)
Rhymes: -əʊz

VerbEdit

impose (third-person singular simple present imposes, present participle imposing, simple past and past participle imposed)

(transitive) To establish or apply by authority.
- Milton
  Death is the penalty imposed.
Congress imposed new tariffs.
- 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "[1]," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):
  Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare.
(intransitive) to be an inconvenience (on or upon)
I don't wish to impose upon you.
to enforce: compel to behave in a certain way
Social relations impose courtesy
- 2011 December 10, Arindam Rej, “Norwich 4 - 2 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:
  Norwich soon began imposing themselves on that patched-up defence with Holt having their best early chance, only to see it blocked by Simpson.
To practice a trick or deception (on or upon).
To lay on, as the hands, in the religious rites of confirmation and ordination.
To arrange in proper order on a table of stone or metal and lock up in a chase for printing; said of columns or pages of type, forms, etc.