imp
noun
a little devil or demon; an evil spirit.
imp
1 American
[imp]
/ ɪmp /
noun
imps
plural
verb (used with object)
imps,
present (3rd person singular)
imped,
past participle, past
imping
present participle
-
Falconry.
-
to graft (feathers) into a wing.
-
to furnish (a wing, tail, etc.) with feathers, as to make good losses or deficiencies and improve powers of flight.
-
-
Archaic. to add a piece to; mend or repair.
IMP
2
American
imp.
3
American
abbreviation
imp.
4
American
abbreviation
-
imperative.
-
imperfect.
-
imperial.
-
impersonal.
-
implement.
-
import.
-
important.
-
imported.
-
importer.
-
imprimatur.
-
imprint.
-
improper.
-
improved.
-
improvement.
Imp.
5
American
abbreviation
Imp.
6
American
abbreviation
imp.
1
British
abbreviation
-
imperative
-
imperfect
-
imperial
-
imprimatur
Imp.
2
British
abbreviation
-
Imperator
-
Imperatrix
-
Imperial
imp
3
British
/ ɪmp /
noun
-
a small demon or devil; mischievous sprite
-
a mischievous child
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
impsimple
-
impssimple
-
have impedperfect
-
has impedperfect
-
am impingprogressive
-
are impingprogressive
-
is impingprogressive
-
have been impingperfect progressive
-
has been impingperfect progressive
Past
-
impedsimple
-
had impedperfect
-
was impingprogressive
-
were impingprogressive
-
had been impingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of imp1
before 900; (noun) Middle English impe, Old English impa, impe shoot, graft < Late Latin impotus, imputus grafted shoot < Greek émphytos planted, implanted, verbal adjective of emphŷein to implant ( em- em- 2 + phŷein to bring forth); (v.) Middle English impen to plant, graft, Old English impian, geimpian, derivative of the noun (compare Old High German impfōn, impitōn > German impfen to inoculate); sense “demon” < phrase imp of the devil
Origin of imp.3
From the Latin word imprīmīs
Origin of Imp.5
From the Latin word Imperātor
Origin of Imp.6
From the Latin word Imperātrīx
Explanation
An imp is a trouble maker — not a thug or a criminal, but a mischievous sort who might make prank phone calls or harass a substitute teacher. Impe is an Old English word meaning young plant shoot. It was eventually applied to the offspring of people and later used pejoratively in the sense of offspring of the devil. The devilish meaning remains, but an imp can also be any mischievous person, especially a small child. You might call the boy you babysit an imp if he's in the habit of playing tricks on you — like locking you out of the house.
Vocabulary lists containing imp
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 2
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The War That Saved My Life
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Queen of the Sea
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You could liken it to Poe's "Imp of the Perverse," doing something for the very reason you know you should not.
From Salon • May 6, 2023
The Lincoln Imp Trail - which featured 31 painted sculptures based on the city's mythical mascot - was due to run until Thursday.
From BBC • Sep. 13, 2021
Enter The Kitchen Imp, a West Seattle-based spice company owned by Melissa Aaron, with some of the most fantastic overall quality I’ve ever found.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 8, 2020
Hated by his powerful father and seen by most others as an object of curiosity and/or derision — the Imp — Tyrion was the ultimate insider-outsider.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2019
“Lady Lannister, you mean? Are you so eager to see the Imp perched on your father’s seat? I promise you, that will not happen whilst I live, Lord Snow.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
