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imp

  (ĭmp) pronunciation
n.
  1. A mischievous child.
  2. A small demon.
  3. Obsolete. A graft.
tr.v., imped, imp·ing, imps.
  1. To graft (new feathers) onto the wing of a trained falcon or hawk to repair damage or increase flying capacity.
  2. To furnish with wings.

[Middle English impe, scion, sprig, offspring, from Old English impa, young shoot, from impian, to graft, ultimately from Medieval Latin impotus, graft, from Greek emphutos, grafted, from emphuein, to implant : en-, in; see en–2 + phuein, to make grow.]


 
 

(Interface Message Processor) The first router used in the ARPAnet. It was a Honeywell 516 minicomputer with special interfaces and software written by BBN.



 

noun

    One who causes minor trouble or damage: devil, mischief, prankster, rascal, rogue, scamp. Informal cutup. See good/bad.

 

Inosine 5-monophosphate.

 
This article is about the mythical creature. For other uses see IMP.


The Lincoln Imp (at the bottom of the upper V
Enlarge
The Lincoln Imp (at the bottom of the upper V

An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word is related to impious and derives from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.

Imps are usually described as mischievous more than seriously threatening, and as lesser beings rather than more important supernatural beings. The attendants of the devil are sometimes described as imps. They are usually described as lively and having small stature.


Imps in folklore

Old woodcut showing woman feeding imps
Enlarge
Old woodcut showing woman feeding imps

Some accounts of imps treat them as capable of being turned to good, because they are so desperately lonely they would do almost anything — even commit good deeds — to have a committed friend; however, it is regarded as almost impossible for any imp to fully forsake its "impish" ways.[citation needed]

The Ancient Greek demigod Pan has some features in common with an imp, but this is unlikely to be a direct connection, since the imp concept probably belongs to Germanic rather than Hellenic tradition. However, imps are sometimes described as fond of music, and capable of being charmed into making a promise to aid, and "do good" in that manner through music — though there is always likely to be some mischievous trick to be attached to the barter.[citation needed]

Imps were the common name given to familiar spirits that served witches in the middle ages. Imps were usually kept inside artifacts such as gemstone pieces or vials and summoned for service by magics. An example of such an imp is one that was supposedly under the service of the alchemist Paracelsus, who supposedly kept one locked inside a crystal in the pommel of his sword.[citation needed]

See also

Notes

    References


     
    Translations: Translations for: Imp

    Dansk (Danish)
    n. - gavtyv, spilopmager, lille djævel, drillenisse
    v. tr. - reparere ødelagt flyvefjer ved påsættelse af ny fjer

    abbr. - International Match Point; i kontraktbridge

    Nederlands (Dutch)
    deugniet, plaaggeest, valk beter doen vliegen door veren toe te voegen, vergroten

    Français (French)
    n. - lutin, (fig) petit diable
    v. tr. - implanter

    abbr. - (abrév = International Match Point), (Sport) balle de match (en tennis)

    Deutsch (German)
    n. - Kobold, Racker
    v. - neue Federn einsetzen

    abbr. - (Bridge) International Match Point

    Ελληνική (Greek)
    n. - διαβολάκι
    v. - προσθέτω φτερά στην πτέρυγα γερακιού για να βελτιώσω την πτητική του ικανότητα
    abbr. - υποατομικό σωματίδιο απροσδιόριστης μάζας

    Italiano (Italian)
    birichino, diavoletto

    Português (Portuguese)
    n. - diabinho (m) (fig.), criança (f) levada
    v. - alar, enxertar penas em asa
    abbr. - imperador, imperatriz, palavras começadas em "imp"

    Русский (Russian)
    чертенок, постреленок, отпрыск, укреплять, снабжать крыльями

    Español (Spanish)
    n. - diablillo, duendecillo, pícaro
    v. tr. - reparar con plumas (las alas de un halcón)

    abbr. - Match Point Internacional

    Svenska (Swedish)
    n. - smådjävul, satunge, busfrö
    v. - förstärka vingarna på en jaktfalk (med nya fjädrar), reparera
    abbr. - imperative, imperfect, imperial, impersonal, import(er), important

    中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
    集成微处理机

    小鬼, 顽童, 小淘气, 加强, 装翅膀, 补充

    中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
    abbr. - 集成微處理機

    n. - 小鬼, 頑童, 小淘氣
    v. tr. - 加強, 裝翅膀, 補充

    한국어 (Korean)
    n. - 꼬마도깨비, 장난꾸러기
    v. tr. - 보수하다, (매의 날개에) 깃을 덧붙여 주다

    abbr. - Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (행성간 조사 위성)

    日本語 (Japanese)
    n. - 小鬼, 小悪魔

    العربيه (Arabic)
    ‏(الاسم) ولد مؤذ, عفريت صغير (فعل) يتصرف كالعفريت (اختصار) مختصر : هام, استيراد, نقطه مباراة عالميه (لعبه البريدج)‏

    עברית (Hebrew)
    n. - ‮ילד שובב, שד קטן, שדון‬
    v. tr. - ‮הוסיף נוצות לכנף בז כשי לשפר את מעופו‬
    abbr. - ‮נקודת משחק בינלאומית - יחידת ניקוד בתחרויות ברידג' של חוזה‬


     
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    Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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