/im ploh"zheuhn/ , n.
1. the act of imploding; a bursting inward (opposed to explosion ).
2. Phonet.
a. the occlusive phase of stop consonants.
b. (of a stop consonant) the nasal release heard in the common pronunciation of eaten, sudden, or mitten, in which the vowel of the final syllable is greatly reduced.
c. the ingressive release of a suction stop. Cf. plosion .
[ 1875-80; IM- 1 + (EX)PLOSION ]