v.
Pronunciation: im- ' p ō z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: im · posed ; im · pos · ing
Etymology: Middle French imposer, from Latin imponere, literally, to put upon (perf. indicative imposui ), from in- + ponere to put ― more at POSITION
Date: 1581
transitive verb
1 a : to establish or apply by authority < impose a tax> < impose new restrictions> < impose penalties> b : to establish or bring about as if by force <those limits imposed by our own inadequacies ― C. H. Plimpton>
2 a : PLACE , SET b : to arrange (as pages) in the proper order for printing
3 : PASS OFF < impose fake antiques on the public>
4 : to force into the company or on the attention of another < impose oneself on others>
intransitive verb : to take unwarranted advantage of something < imposed on his good nature>
– im · pos · er noun