Imp , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imped (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Imping.]
[AS.
impian to imp, ingraft, plant; akin to Dan.
ympe, Sw. ympa, OHG. impfōn,
impitōn, G.
impfen. See Imp,
n.] 1. To graft; to insert as a scion. [Obs.] Rom. of R.
2. (Falconry) To graft with new feathers, as a
wing; to splice a broken feather. Hence, Fig.: To repair; to
extend; to increase; to strengthen; to equip. [Archaic]
Imp out our drooping country's broken wing.
Shak. Who lazily imp their wings with other men's plumes.
Fuller. Here no frail
Muse shall imp her crippled wing.
Holmes. Help, ye tart satirists, to imp my
rage
With all the scorpions that should whip this age.
Cleveland.
Imp (&ibreve;mp), n.
[OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan.
ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. &?;
engrafted, innate, fr. &?; to
implant; &?; in + &?; to produce; akin to E. be. See 1st In-, Be.]
1. A shoot;
a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
2. An offspring; progeny; child; scion. [Obs.]
The tender
imp was
weaned.
Fairfax. 3. A young or inferior devil; a little, malignant spirit; a puny demon;
a contemptible evil worker.
To mingle in the clamorous fray
Of squabbling imps.
Beattie. 4. Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen it out or repair it, -- as, an addition to a
beehive; a feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; a length of twisted hair in a fishing
line. [Obs. or Prov.
Eng.]
Hear it pronounced