A Dictionary of Cont..

had crossed the Alps with such pomp the year
before).
imperative mode. The imperative is the form of
the verb used in commands, requests, and
advice. It is not necessarily dictatorial. The
difference between an order and a suggestion is
shown by the tone of voice or by some other
words in the sentence, such as if you please. In
English, the imperative is the simple form of the
verb and ordinarily appears without a subject,
as in go and catch a falling star. A negative
imperative is formed by prefixing do not (or
don’t), as in do not go.
In contemporary English the imperative is
considered a second person form. That is, the
subject is said to be an unexpressed! you.
Formerly, if the subject was expressed it
followed immediately after the verb, as in
comfort ye my people, This construction may
still be heard, as in hark you, mind you, but it
now sounds archaic or old-fashioned. Today, if
we want to stress the subject of an imperative,
we place the pronoun immediately before the
verb, as in you go first. Some grammarians
claim that in sentences such as someb0d.y lend
me a hand, the imperative is a third person form
with the subject somebody. Others hold that
there is still an unexpressed you here, that
somebody here means you. This is a purely
theoretical question and makes no difference in
practice.
At one time the imperative could be u.sed as
a first person plural form. In this case, the word
we followed the verb, as in praise we the Virgin
all divine and don we now our gay apparel. In
modern English we use let us or let’s to in’dicate
this type of imperative, and say let’s put on our
best clothes. Let’s may be followed by you and
me, as in let’s you and me dress up, but the use
of I or us, as in let’s you and I dress up and
let’s us dress up, is condemned by some grammarians.
See let.
An imperative is always the principal verb
in a sentence. When a statement such as leave
at once is repeated in indirect speech, that is,
not as a direct quotation, the form of the verb
must be changed. After verbs that take an indirect
object, such as command, order, ter’l, the
imperative may be replaced by an infinitive,
as in he told me to leave at once. After say,
which does not take an indirect object, an imperative
is traditionally replaced by a subjunctive
clause such as he said I should leave at
once or he said I was to leave at once. But in
current English say is often treated like tell and
followed by an infinitive, as in he said to leave
at once. For is sometimes used to indicate the
person addressed, as in he said for me to leave
at once. Thirty years ago these construc:tions
were generally condemned. But they are used
today by many well educated people and are
probably acceptable English in most parts of
the United States. See also future tense.
impertinent (pert); impudent; insolent; riaucy
(sassy); cheeky. The original meaning of impertinent
was not pertinent to the matter in
235 implore
hand, hence irrelevant. This meaning is still
retained in law but is otherwise obsolete. A deliberately
introduced irrelevance would be silly
and would indicate a lack of proper respect for
those whose business was so interrupted. And
that-an unseemly intrusion into what does not
concern one, or a presumptuous rudeness
towards one entitled to deference or respectis
the word’s primary meaning today (He was
inclined to regard the expression of any difference
of opinion as a piece of impertinence, to
be repressed with contempt). Annoying as impertinence
often is, however, there are times
when it is amusing and attractive and the diminutive
pert, especially in colloquial usage,
usually expresses an amused admiration (That
was a pert little hat she had on).
Impudent suggests a shameless impertinence,
unblushing effrontery (The impudence of that
young whelp, telling me that when he wanted
my advice he’d ask for it!). Insolent means the
highest degree of rude presumption, insulting
and arrogantly contemptuous behavior (The
recruit was so openly insolent to his superior
officers that it was apparent that for some
reason he wanted to be court-martialed). Impertinence
is sometimes accidental, the result
of folly or ignorance, but the affronts of insolence
are deliberate and intended. There is a
phrase studied insolence which implies that insolence
is the product of careful planning and
forethought.
Saucy and its American dialect form sassy
mean salty, full of bite. They are colloquialisms
which can mean anything from impertinent to
insolent (The child got sassy and she slapped
him). Like pert, saucy can mean piquant and
is often used favorably.
Cheeky is also a colloquialism, chiefly British,
which means either impudent or insolent. It is
a slightly stronger term of opprobrium than
saucy (That cheeky remark may cost him his
job).
implement. The primary use of implement, as a
transitive verb, is to provide with implements
(Whether armed for war or implemented for
industry), though it is not often used in this
sense of actual, tangible implements but of the
more abstract kind (The resolution was noble
but until it is implemented by specific legislation
the voters will probably remain skeptical). In
the sense of filling out or supplementing, it has
been severely condemned as either pedantry or
barbarous jargon, but usage has made it
standard and the worst that can be said for it
now is that it is ostentatious and overworked
and should be replaced occasionally by the
more homely fulfill or carry out.
implicate. See involve.
implicit. See constructive and explicit.
implore. This word may be followed by an infinitive,
as in I implore you to tell me. It may
also be followed by a clause with the clause
verb a subjunctive or subjunctive equivalent, as
in I implored that he tell me, but the infinitive
construction is generally preferred.