- An example of impose is when you show up unannounced at a wedding to which you weren't invited.
- An example of impose is when you make other people sit and listen to your sermons and try forcefully to get them to believe in your religion.
The definition of impose is to go somewhere where you aren't welcome or to force beliefs or ideas on other people.
- to place or set (a burden, tax, fine, etc. on or upon) as by authority
- to force (oneself, one's presence or will, etc.) on another or others without right or invitation; obtrude
- to pass off; foist, esp. by deception: to impose false cures on unsuspecting patients
- to arrange (pages of type or plates) in a frame in the proper order of printing
- Archaic to place; put; deposit
- to lay (the hands) on, as in ordaining
Origin of imposeFr, altered by associated, association with poser (see pose) ; from Classical Latin imponere, to place upon ; from in-, on + ponere: see position
- to take advantage of; put to some trouble or use unfairly for one's own benefit
- to cheat or defraud
verbim·posed, im·pos·ing, im·pos·es
- To establish or apply as compulsory; levy: impose a tax.
- To bring about by authority or force; force to prevail: impose a peace settlement.
- To obtrude or force (oneself, for example) on another or others.
- Printing To arrange (type or plates) on an imposing stone.
- To offer or circulate fraudulently; pass off: imposed a fraud on consumers.
To force oneself on or take unfair advantage of others: You are always imposing on their generosity.
Origin of imposeMiddle English imposen, from Old French imposer, alteration (influenced by poser, to put, place) of Latin imp&omacron;nere, to place upon : in-, on; see in–2 + p&omacron;nere, to place; see apo- in Indo-European roots.
(third-person singular simple present imposes, present participle imposing, simple past and past participle imposed)
- To establish or apply by authority.
- Congress imposed new tariffs.
- 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "," 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
- I don't wish to impose upon you.
- to enforce: compel to behave in a certain way
- Social relations impose courtesy
- To practice a trick or deception.
- 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.
OriginSee also: imposé