Etymologically
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impose

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ɪmˈpəʊz/, US /ɪmˈpoʊz/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English imposen, borrowed from Old French imposer (“to put, place, impute”),[2][3][4][5] formed from im- and poser (“to put, place”) (see pose) to render Latin impōnō (“to place on, lay as a burden, deceive”).[2][4][5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

To put an obligation on, to lay something to a person's account: about 1380, in Chaucer's Boethius, in Barnhart; the late 14th century in Etymonline.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

To impute is an obsolete sense of 1484,[7][6] and to apply with authority is from about 1500.[3] To lay a tax or burden on, to inflict, is first recorded in 1581, probably from the Latin sense.[2][3] The laying on of hands is from 1582,[7] placing someone in office from 1617,[7] and arranging pages of type in printing from 1652.[7] To impose upon, to take advantage of or deceive, is from the 17th century.[4] Imposing meant exacting in 1651 and impressive in 1786, after French imposant.[2] In west Somerset an imposing tradesman was one who overcharged.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1380 – to put an obligation on.[2]
  • 1484 – to impute (obsolete).[7]
  • 1581 – to levy, inflict.[2]
  • 1582 – to lay on hands.[7]
  • 1652 – to impose type (printing).[7]
  • 1786 – imposing, impressive.[2]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To establish as compulsory; to levy: to impose a tax.
  2. To apply or enforce by authority.
  3. To force oneself or one's presence on others; to obtrude.
  4. impose on or upon: to take unfair advantage of: to impose on someone's kindness.
  5. (printing) To arrange pages so that they will be in the right order after printing and folding.

Word family

  • imposer
  • imposable
  • self-imposed
  • unimposed
  • overimpose
  • preimpose
  • reimpose
  • imposing

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)