A Dictionary of Cont..

imply; infer. The primary meaning of imply is to
involve as a necessary circumstance. A deed
implies a doer. The fact that a man is living
implies that he was born. From this it is a
natural development for it to mean to indicate
or suggest something which is to be inferred
without being expressly stated (Zt is not directly
asserted, but it seems to be implied). To infer
is to derive by reasoning from premises, to
judge from evidence, or, colloquially, to surmise
or guess (From your silence I infer that you do
not approve). The speaker implies, the hearer
infers. Sir Alan Herbert makes the matter clear
when he says that inferring is a sort of thinking
and implying a sort of saying. He illustrates by
saying that If you see a man staggering along
the road you may infer that he is drunk, without
saying a word; but if you say “Had one too
many?” you do not infer but imply that he is
drunk (What a Word! New York, 1936).
None the less infer has been used for imply
for several centuries and by writers of considerable
authoritv (Milton and James Mill
among them) and is in such widespread
common use that many of the best authorities
now bow to usage and accept it as standard. The
careful writer, however, will probably want to
preserve the distinction, which is a useful one,
and will be inclined to regard the common
usage here as an accepted laxity rather than an
example to be followed.
imply; insinuate. To imply is to indicate as something
to be inferred (He did not say in so many
words that he was displeased, but he certainly
implied it in the tone of his voice). To insinuate
is to wind into a meaning like a serpent, to hint,
suggest, subtly develop a meaning in the other
person’s mind, or to establish oneself in his
good graces. It is a word of sly and evil connotations;
whereas imply is an open word. A
meaning may be implied rather than spoken
directly for bad reasons, but it also may be
implied rather than spoken because of diffidence
or delicacy or kindness. See also indicate.
impolitic; impolitical. That is impolitic which is
inexpedient, injudicious, unsuitable to the
desired end (It is certainly impolitic to bring up
these charges against the man at the very time
you need his support). Impolitical is simply an
older form of impolitic, rendered obsolete by
the facts that the newer word is shorter and political
has come to have a specialized meaning.
important means of much significance, of more
than ordinary title to consideration or notice.
It is sometimes used as if it meant principal, as
in The important difference between them is
that one dress has white buttons and the other
gray buttons. Unless important is used here
ironically, it is misused.
impossible is enjoying a vogue, not in its primary
meaning of unable to be, exist, or happen, but
in such senses as unendurable (He’s utterly impossible;
I don’t see how you manage to stay on
speaking terms with him), incredible (It’s an
impossible story), impracticable (These impossible
suggestions just annoy me; he knows
we haven’t the necessary money). These are not
corruptions but ellipses, condensations by omission.
An impossible person is one with whom it
is impossible to get along. An impossible story
is one that it is impossible to believe. And so
on. Yet the word is being overworked in this
manner and it would be better most of the time
to use the full phrase.
impostor; imposture. An impostor is a person.
An imposture is an act. An impostor is one who
imposes fraudulently on others, who practices
deception under an assumed character or name
(The military hero turned out to be an impostor
who had sat out the war in Mexico). An imposture
is the action or practice of imposing
fraudulently on others (His passing himself of7
as a Russian archduke was one of the more
successful impostures of the social season).
impoverished. See poor.
impracticable; impractical; unpractical. The British
clearly distinguish between these adjectives by
using impracticable of things and actions which
are not practicable, which are not capable, that
is, of being put into practice, or effected,
especially with the available means or with
reason or prudence (It was a thoroughly impracticable
plan) and by using unpractical of
persons who are not practical, who lack, that is,
practical usefulness or wisdom (Because of his
unpractical nature, he did not foresee the real
difficulties of the situation). In America impractical
serves indifferently to mean either impracticable
or unpractical, depending on the
context, though impracticable is also used as
the British use it. Actually, British usage here
is a good deal less confusing and therefore is
deserving of adoption.
impression. See edition.
impromptu; extemporaneous; extemporary; extempore.
Generally used as an adjective, impromptu
means offhand, made or done without
previous preparation (At the surprise party in
his honor he made a witty impromptu speech).
It is also used as an adverb (verses written
impromptu) and as a noun (You won’t often
hear that clever an impromptu).
Extemporaneous, as well as its less-used
synonyms extemporary and extempore, can
mean about the same as impromptu-that is,
unpremeditated, without preparation or with
only partial preparation-but it is applied
especially to an unmemorized speech given
from an outline or notes (His vast experience
of mountain climbing enabled him to deliver
extemporaneous speeches on the subject). Extemporaneous
and extemporary can be used as
adjectives only. Extempore may be used as an
adjective, though it seldom is. It is the only one
of the three that can be used as an adverb (He
spoke extempore-that is, without preparation
or notes).
impudent. See impertinent.
impunity. See immunity.
in. This word may be used with an object as a
preposition, or it may be used alone as an
adverb or as an adjective.
In is primarily a preposition. It expresses the
relation of “contained” or “surrounded by,” and