Library / English Dictionary

IMPRESS

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of coercing someone into government service

Synonyms:

impress; impressment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("impress" is a kind of...):

seizure (the taking possession of something by legal process)

Derivation:

impress (take (someone) against his will for compulsory service, especially on board a ship)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dye (fabric) before it is spun

Synonyms:

impress; yarn-dye

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

dye (color with dye)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Produce or try to produce a vivid impression of

Example:

Mother tried to ingrain respect for our elders in us

Synonyms:

impress; ingrain; instill

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

affect; impress; move; strike (have an emotional or cognitive impact upon)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

impressive (producing a strong effect)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take (someone) against his will for compulsory service, especially on board a ship

Example:

The men were shanghaied after being drugged

Synonyms:

impress; shanghai

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

abduct; kidnap; nobble; snatch (take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom)

Domain category:

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

impress; impressment (the act of coercing someone into government service)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Mark or stamp with or as if with pressure

Example:

To make a batik, you impress a design with wax

Synonyms:

impress; imprint

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

change surface (undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface)

"Impress" entails doing...:

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "impress"):

stamp (to mark, or produce an imprint in or on something)

boss; emboss; stamp (raise in a relief)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

impression (the act of pressing one thing on or into the surface of another)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Reproduce by printing

Synonyms:

impress; print

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

write (mark or trace on a surface)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "impress"):

italicise; italicize (print in italics)

boldface (print in boldface)

cyclostyle (print with an implement with small toothed wheels that cuts small holes in a stencil)

overprint; print over (print (additional text or colors) onto an already imprinted paper)

offset (produce by offset printing)

prove (take a trial impression of)

set; typeset (set in type)

letter (set down or print with letters)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

Example:

her comments struck a sour note

Synonyms:

affect; impress; move; strike

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Cause:

experience; feel (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

Verb group:

actuate; incite; motivate; move; prompt; propel (give an incentive for action)

come to; hit; strike (cause to experience suddenly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "impress"):

alienate (make withdrawn or isolated or emotionally dissociated)

sadden (make unhappy)

move (arouse sympathy or compassion in)

stir; touch (affect emotionally)

disturb; trouble; upset (move deeply)

sweep away; sweep off (overwhelm emotionally)

impress (impress positively)

pierce (move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply)

cloud (make gloomy or depressed)

smite (affect suddenly with deep feeling)

hit home; strike a chord; strike a note; strike home (refer to or be relevant or familiar to)

jar (affect in a disagreeable way)

zap (strike suddenly and with force)

strike dumb (render speechless, as by surprising or shocking)

engrave (impress or affect deeply)

awaken (make aware)

impress; ingrain; instill (produce or try to produce a vivid impression of)

surprise (cause to be surprised)

infect (affect in a contagious way)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will impress him

The good news will impress her

Derivation:

impressible (easily impressed or influenced)

impressive (producing a strong effect)

impressive (making a strong or vivid impression)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Impress positively

Example:

The young chess player impressed her audience

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "impress" is one way to...):

affect; impress; move; strike (have an emotional or cognitive impact upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "impress"):

prepossess (make a positive impression (on someone) beforehand)

wow (impress greatly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to impress Sue

Derivation:

impressive (making a strong or vivid impression)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He would often seize Thornton’s hand in his mouth and close so fiercely that the flesh bore the impress of his teeth for some time afterward.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Anne was so impressed by the degree of their danger, that she could not excuse herself from trying to make it perceptible to her sister.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

My humble name and title did not appear to impress Mr. Culverton Smith.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The lady I had left might be about twenty-nine; the one who went with me appeared some years younger: the first impressed me by her voice, look, and air.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Of all the amazing things which had happened, this seemed to have impressed my uncle most, and he recurred to it again and again.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about young McCarthy’s narrative which struck us both instantly, although they impressed me in his favour and you against him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was little wonder that the richness and ornament, not only of church and of stall, but of every private house as well, should have impressed itself upon the young squires.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This was a new way of looking at it, and Miller was visibly impressed as he debated it in his mind.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

All this, which takes me so long to describe, impressed itself upon me in a few seconds.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You see, the ideas of you and yours had impressed me.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)