imp

imp
   Used most commonly in modern times of a child who is ‘a little devil’, or very mischievous. This term would normally be said with a mixture of affection and irritation after some childish outrage. In Seven Little Australians, by Ethel Turner, a young mother calls her children ‘you scamps, you bad wicked imps’, but laughs as she does so. In The Dream of Fair Women, by Henry Williamson, ‘you imp’ has the meaning of ‘you wicked man’ when used by a woman to a man. He has just told her a long story as if it were true, then admitted that he made it up. According to the Opies, in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, ‘imp’ is also a traditional generic nickname in British schools for a very small child.
   See also tich.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Imp — Imp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Imped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Imping}.] [AS. impian to imp, ingraft, plant; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ympa, OHG. impf[=o]n, impit[=o]n, G. impfen. See {Imp}, n.] 1. To graft; to insert as a scion. [Obs.] Rom. of R. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • imp — imp·ing; imp·ish; imp·son·ite; pal·imp·ses·tic; imp; pal·imp·sest; imp·ish·ly; imp·ish·ness; …   English syllables

  • Imp — ([i^]mp), n. [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. ? engrafted, innate, fr. ? to implant; ? in + ? to produce; akin to E. be. See 1st {In }, {Be}.] 1. A shoot; a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft. [Obs.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • IMP — ist die Abkürzung für: IMP (Kompression), ein Kompressionsverfahren Chrysler IMP, ein PKW Modell der 1920er und 1930er Jahre, siehe Chrysler Imperial Illinois Malicious Processor, ein Proof of Concept OpenSPARC CPU Design, das eine Backdoor… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • IMP — [Abk. für Inosin 5´ monophosphat]: ↑ Inosinphosphat. * * * Ịmp, der; s, [mhd. imp, ↑ Imme] (bayr.): Biene. * * * IMP,   Abk. für Implikation …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Imp — Imp: В Doom гуманоид тёмно коричневого цвета, неопределённого пола, с клыками и когтями больших размеров. Умеет стрелять шаровыми молниями из ладоней. Медлителен и маложивуч. В Dungeon Keeper малорослый шустрый карлик. Имеет большие глаза, как… …   Википедия

  • imp — /imp/, n. 1. a little devil or demon; an evil spirit. 2. a mischievous child. 3. Archaic. a scion or offshoot of a plant or tree. 4. Archaic. an offspring. v.t. 5. Falconry. a. to graft (feathers) into a wing. b. to furnish (a wing, tail, etc.)… …   Universalium

  • imp. — imp. 〈Abk. für lat.〉 imprimatur * * * imp. = imprimatur …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Imp. — Imp. 〈Abk. für lat.〉 Imperator * * * imp. = imprimatur …   Universal-Lexikon

  • imp — [ımp] n [: Old English; Origin: impa] 1.) a child who behaves badly, but in a way that is funny 2.) a small creature in stories who has magic powers and behaves very badly →↑impish …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • imp — [ ımp ] noun count 1. ) an imaginary creature that looks like a small child and likes to have fun by behaving badly 2. ) a child who behaves badly in a way that adults think is funny …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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