imperfect Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
    progressive tense; imperfect tense; progressive; continuous tense.
  2. adjective not perfect; defective or inadequate
    • had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities
    • imperfect mortals
    • drainage here is imperfect
  3. adjective satellite wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings
    weak; fallible; frail.
    • I'm only a fallible human
    • frail humanity

WordNet


Im*per"fect adjective
Etymology
L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.
Definitions
  1. Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.
    Something he left imperfect in the state. Shak.
    Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect. Shak.
  2. Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
    He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person. Jer. Taylor.
  3. Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective.
    Nothing imperfect or deficient left Of all that he created. Milton.
    Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault; Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. Pope.
Im*per"fect noun
Definitions
  1. (Gram.) The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.
Im*per"fect transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make imperfect. Obs.

Webster 1913