v.
Pronunciation: im- ' pl ī
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: im · plied ; im · ply · ing
Etymology: Middle English emplien, from Anglo-French emplier to entangle ― more at EMPLOY
Date: 14th century
1 obsolete : ENFOLD , ENTWINE
2 : to involve or indicate by inference, association, or necessary consequence rather than by direct statement <rights imply obligations>
3 : to contain potentially
4 : to express indirectly <his silence implied consent>
synonyms see SUGGEST
usage see INFER