im ‧ pres ‧ sion S2 W2 /ɪmˈpreʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ impression , ↑ impressionism , ↑ impressionist , ↑ impressiveness ; adjective : ↑ impressionable , ↑ impressive ≠ ↑ unimpressive , ↑ impressionistic , ↑ unimpressed ; adverb : ↑ impressively , ↑ impressionistically ; verb : ↑ impress ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the opinion or feeling you have about someone or something because of the way they seem:
When we looked around the school we got a very good impression.
I got the impression that she wasn't very happy with her job.
impression of
What was your impression of Roger?
2 . be under the impression (that) to believe that something is true when it is not:
I’m sorry, I was under the impression that you were the manager.
3 . [countable] if you do an impression of a famous person, you copy their speech or behaviour in order to make people laugh SYN imitation :
Jean does a great impression of Madonna.
4 . [countable] a picture or drawing of what someone or something might look like, or what something will look like in the future
impression of
an artist’s impression of the new building
5 . [countable] a mark left by pressing something into a soft surface:
Some of the fallen trees had left a clear impression in the hardened mud.
6 . [countable] all the copies of a book printed at one time ⇨ edition
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ make an impression
Think about what sort of impression you want to make.
▪ give an impression
Her speech definitely gave the impression that she was enthusiastic about the project.
▪ create an impression ( also convey an impression formal )
Arriving late won’t create a very good impression.
▪ get an impression
What sort of impression did you get of the city?
▪ leave an impression on somebody (=make someone remember a person, place, or thing )
Janet certainly left an impression on him.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/positive impression
He was keen to make a good impression on his boss.
▪ a bad/negative impression
Arriving late for an interview gives a very negative impression.
▪ sb’s first/initial/immediate impression
My first impression was that Terry’s version of the events was untrue.
▪ a clear/vivid impression
He had the clear impression that most people were in favour of the idea.
▪ a vague impression (=not very clear)
Dave only had a vague impression of the man who had attacked him.
▪ a strong/deep impression (=one that someone feels very strongly )
She made a strong impession on me the first time I met her.
▪ a lasting impression (=one that someone remembers for a long time)
Sam’s performance had clearly made a lasting impression on the audience.
▪ the overwhelming/overriding impression (=an impression that is stronger than all others)
The overwhelming impression after the meeting was one of optimism.
▪ an indelible impression formal (=lasting for ever)
Alan’s wartime experiences had left an indelible impression on him.
▪ a wrong/misleading impression
The advertisement gave a misleading impression of the product.
▪ a false/mistaken impression
He had the mistaken impression that Julia was married.
|
Many people got the false impression she didn’t care.
▪ the overall/general impression
The general impression was of a very efficiently run company.
▪ the distinct impression (=used when something seems very clear to you)
We were left with the impression that the contract was ours if we wanted it.
▪ sb’s personal impression
My personal impression is that the new manager has greatly improved things.
■ phrases
▪ first impressions count (=the impression you make when you first meet someone is important)
When attending a job interview, remember that first impressions count.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ idea something that you think of, especially something that you could do or suggest:
I think that’s an excellent idea.
|
Let me know if you have any good ideas.
▪ thought something that comes into your mind:
The thought had entered my mind that he might be lying.
|
It was a worrying thought.
|
She was lost in her thoughts.
▪ impression the idea that you have in your mind about what someone or something is like:
What was your impression of him?
▪ inspiration a good and original idea, which makes you think of doing or creating something:
Where did you get your inspiration from for the book?
|
He suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
|
The design for the house was entirely the inspiration of the architect.
▪ brainwave British English , brainstorm American English a sudden new and clever idea, especially one that solves a problem:
I thought I’d have to sell the house, but then I had a brainwave.
▪ concept an idea of how something is, or how something should be done:
Concepts of beauty are different in different cultures.
|
the traditional concept of marriage
▪ notion an idea about life or society, especially one that is a little silly or old-fashioned:
There is no evidence to support the notion that poverty is caused by laziness.