I. im ‧ port 1 W3 /ˈɪmpɔːt $ -ɔːrt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ export ≠ ↑ import , ↑ exporter ≠ ↑ importer , ↑ exportation ≠ ↑ importation ; verb : ↑ export ≠ ↑ import ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] a product that is brought from one country into another so that it can be sold there, or the business of doing this OPP export :
a ban on beef imports
the abolition of import duties (=taxes)
import from
cheap imports from Asia
American demand for Japanese imports (=goods from Japan)
the import of electrical goods
2 . [countable] something new or different that is brought to a place where it did not previously exist:
The beetle is thought to be a European import.
3 . [uncountable] formal importance or meaning ⇨ significance :
a matter of no great import
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + imports
▪ foreign imports
Foreign imports into Britain continued to grow in the 1970s.
▪ cheap imports
Farmers are complaining about cheap imports flooding the market.
▪ Japanese/French etc imports (=goods from Japan, France etc)
Japanese imports rose by 5% last year.
▪ oil/coal/food imports
The country is dependent on oil imports for almost all its basic energy needs.
▪ rice/sugar etc imports
There is pressure on the country to reduce its rice imports.
▪ agricultural imports
Restrictions on agricultural imports remain in place.
▪ essential imports
The country had problems paying for its essential imports.
▪ luxury imports
Higher duties were placed on luxury imports.
■ verbs
▪ increase imports
The company increased imports in order to cut domestic production costs.
▪ reduce/cut imports
New investment will reduce imports and save jobs.
▪ control/restrict imports (=reduce or put a limit on them)
The scheme aims to control imports of cheap goods.
▪ ban imports (=make them illegal)
The organization wants the government to ban imports of exotic birds.
▪ imports increase/rise/grow
Imports increased by 13 percent last year.
▪ imports fall/drop
Imports of consumer goods fell sharply in December.
■ import + NOUN
▪ an import ban
The US imposed an import ban on several types of fish.
▪ import restrictions/controls (=laws which reduce or limit the amount of imports)
Severe import controls were introduced.
▪ import quotas (=limits on the number of imports allowed)
Each country introduced its own import quotas.
▪ import taxes/duties/tariffs
The US imposed huge import duties on products from Europe.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ product noun [countable] something that is made or produced in large quantities, usually in order to be sold:
consumer products such as mobile phones
|
dairy products
▪ goods noun [plural] things that are produced in order to be sold, especially for use in the home:
They sell furniture and other household goods.
|
electrical goods
|
white goods (=large electrical goods used in the home such as washing machines and refrigerators)
▪ commodity noun [countable] formal a type of product or raw material that can be bought and sold – used especially about basic food products, metals, and fuels:
The decline in prices for agricultural commodities made the economic situation worse.
|
All metal was a valuable commodity and was rarely wasted.
▪ merchandise noun [uncountable] formal things that are being sold, especially in shops:
Customers are not allowed to handle the merchandise.
|
Sales of books, videos, and other merchandise have increased.
▪ wares noun [plural] written things that are offered for sale, especially in a market or on the street:
In the market, the traders began selling their wares.
|
Merchants brought their wares from all over the world.
▪ export noun [countable often plural] a product that is sent to a foreign country in order to be sold:
US exports rose to $11.935 billion.
|
At the moment, oil is their biggest export.
▪ import noun [countable often plural] goods that are brought from one country into another to be sold there:
The UK clothing industry cannot compete with foreign imports on price.
II. im·port 2 /ɪmˈpɔːt $ -ɔːrt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ export ≠ ↑ import , ↑ exporter ≠ ↑ importer , ↑ exportation ≠ ↑ importation ; verb : ↑ export ≠ ↑ import ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: importare , from portare 'to carry' ]
1 . to bring a product from one country into another so that it can be sold there OPP export :
In 2001, Britain exported more cars than it imported.
import something from something
All the meat is imported from France.
2 . to introduce something new or different in a place where it did not previously exist:
The unusual designs were probably imported from Iran.
import something to/into something
The US comedy format was gradually imported to UK screens.
3 . to move information from one computer to another OPP export
import something from/into something
You can now import graphics from other applications.
—imported adjective :
imported autos
imported data