impose

Meaning

Verb

1. (archaic, transitive) To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
2. (archaic, transitive) To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
3. (archaic, transitive) To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to deposit, to put, to set.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To apply, enforce, or establish (something, often regarded as burdensome as a restriction or tax: see sense 1.2.1) with authority.
5. (intransitive, transitive) Chiefly followed by on or upon.
6. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by on or upon.
7. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by on or upon.
8. (intransitive, obsolete) Chiefly followed by on or upon.

Noun

An act of placing or putting on something chiefly immaterial, especially something regarded as burdensome as a duty, a task, etc.; an imposition.

Synonyms

force

inflict

levy

compel

coerce

require

tax

oblige

thrust

enforce

dictate

press

charge

necessitate

mandate

command

lay

assert

constrain

impel

visit

assess

set

put on

bring down

order

apply

prescribe

impose upon

load

drive

determine

decree

cause trouble

bamboozle

deceive

control

catch up with

constitute

carry out

assign

appoint

hoax

gyp

govern

gouge

hoodwink

humbug

con

force on

Translations

imposer

imponer

imporre

opdringen

auferlegen

aufdrängen

forceren

impor

dwingen

contraindre

ditar

imposar

aufdringen

obliger

aufnötigen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪmˈpəʊz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: imposen

Cognate with French: imposer

In summary

The verb is derived from Late Middle English imposen (“to place, set; to impose (a duty, etc.)”), borrowed from Middle French imposer, and Old French emposer, enposer (“to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”) (modern French imposer), from im-, em- (variants of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + poser (“to place, put”), modelled after:
* Latin impōnere (“to place or set (something) on; (figurative) to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”), from im- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’)) + pōnō (“to place, put; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó, *h₂epó (“away; off”) + *tḱey- (“to cultivate; to live; to settle”)); and
* Latin impositus (“established; put upon, imposed”), the perfect passive participle of impōnō: see above.
The noun is derived from the verb.