imprint Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a distinctive influence
- English stills bears the imprint of the Norman invasion
noun a concavity in a surface produced by pressing
impression; depression.
- he left the impression of his fingers in the soft mud
noun an identification of a publisher; a publisher's name along with the date and address and edition that is printed at the bottom of the title page
- the book was published under a distinguished imprint
noun an impression produced by pressure or printing
embossment.
noun a device produced by pressure on a surface
verb establish or impress firmly in the mind
form.
- We imprint our ideas onto our children
verb mark or stamp with or as if with pressure
impress.
- To make a batik, you impress a design with wax

OE. emprenten, F. empreint, p. p. of empreindre to imprint, fr. L. imprimere to impres, imprint. See 1st In-, Print, and cf. Impress.

imperfect & past participle Imptrinted; present participle & verbal noun Imprinting

To impress; to mark by pressure; to indent; to stamp.
And sees his num'rous herds imprint her sands. Prior.
To stamp or mark, as letters on paper, by means of type, plates, stamps, or the like; to print the mark (figures, letters, etc., upon something).
Nature imprints upon whate'er we see, That has a heart and life in it, "Be free." Cowper.
To fix indelibly or permanently, as in the mind or memory; to impress.
Ideas of those two different things distinctly imprinted on his mind. Locke.

Cf. F. empreinte impress, stamp. See Imprint, v. t.

Whatever is impressed or imprinted; the impress or mark left by something; specifically, the name of the printer or publisher (usually) with the time and place of issue, in the title-page of a book, or on any printed sheet. "That imprint of their hands." Buckle.