impression

n. [ F. impression, L. impressio. ] 1. The act of impressing, or the state of being impressed; the communication of a stamp, mold, style, or character, by external force or by influence. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation; sensible result of an influence exerted from without. [ 1913 Webster ]

The stamp and clear impression of good sense. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must spin, we must weave, we must build. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or agency; appearance; phenomenon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the air. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence, interest, concern. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

His words impression left. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such terrible impression made the dream. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have a father's dear impression,
And wish, before I fall into my grave,
That I might see her married. Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which must be read with an impression. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Print.) The pressure of the type on the paper, or the result of such pressure, as regards its appearance; as, a heavy impression; a clear, or a poor, impression; also, a single copy as the result of printing, or the whole edition printed at a given time; as, a copy from the fifth impression. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ten impressions which his books have had. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in house painting and the like. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Engraving) A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Proof impression, one of the early impressions taken from an engraving, before the plate or block is worn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being impressionable. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. impressionnable. ] Liable or subject to impression; capable of being molded; susceptible; impressible; as, a bad influence on impressionable youths. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was too impressionable; he had too much of the temperament of genius. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

A pretty face and an impressionable disposition. T. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being impressionable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. impressionnisme. ] (Fine Arts) The theory or method of suggesting an effect or impression without elaboration of the details; -- a disignation of a recent fashion in painting and etching. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. impressionniste. ] (Fine Arts) One who adheres to the theory or method of impressionism in art; especially, a painter who paints in the impressionistic style; as, the skyrocketing prices of paintings by the French impressionists. [ 1913 Webster ]