imp
gb/ˈɪmp/ us/ˈɪmp/
B2
English
csibész, kis démon, evezőtollat told
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
1
csibész
B2
Usage pattern:
[a/an] (little) imp
Stop hiding my keys, you little imp.
Ne rejtegesd a kulcsaimat, te kis csibész.
He was an imp in class, always finding ways to make his friends laugh.
Az órán igazi csibész volt, mindig talált valami módot, hogy megnevettesse a barátait.
She watched the family imp sneak extra cookies from the tin.
Learner examples
My little brother is an imp.
A kisöcsém egy kis csibész.
Don’t be an imp—help me, please.
Ne csibészkedj, segíts, kérlek.
Common mistake:
Learners may think it always means an evil creature; in everyday speech it often just means a cheeky child.
Meaning
mischievous child (often affectionate)
Collocations
you little imp
|cheeky little imp
|mischievous imp
|naughty imp
|a real imp
|the little imp
|playful imp
|an imp at school
|that imp
|such an imp
Synonyms
rascal (Common and friendly; less imagery of a devil.)
|
scamp (Often affectionate and old-fashioned compared to imp.)
|
little devil (Stronger and more vivid; can sound more critical.)
Antonyms
angel (Used jokingly for a child who behaves very well.)
Themes
people
|family
|emotions
|daily_life
Definition
a child who is naughty in a playful way
A child who behaves in a playful, mischievous, or slightly annoying way, often said with affectionate humor.
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
2
kis démon
B2
Usage pattern:
[an] imp
In the tale, an imp tempts the traveler off the safe path.
A mesében egy kis démon letéríti az utazót a biztonságos ösvényről.
The wizard summoned an imp to carry messages through the smoke.
A varázsló egy kis démont idézett meg, hogy üzeneteket vigyen át a füstön.
The mural showed imps dancing around a cauldron.
Learner examples
The story has an imp in it.
A történetben van egy kis démon.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse this noun with the adjective impish (meaning playful or mischievous).
Meaning
small devil or mischievous spirit
Collocations
a malicious imp
|a tiny imp
|a horned imp
|an imp from hell
|imps and demons
|a swarm of imps
|summon an imp
|an imp whispers
|a grinning imp
|a cackling imp
Synonyms
demon (More general; not necessarily small or playful.)
|
goblin (Often not explicitly demonic; more fairy-tale than hellish.)
Antonyms
angel (A benevolent supernatural being, often contrasted with demons/imps.)
Themes
mythology
|religion
|fiction
|entertainment
Definition
a small demon in stories
A small devil, demon, or mischievous supernatural creature, especially in stories, folklore, and fantasy.
VERB
C2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
imp [a feather]/imp [a wing]
The falconer had to imp the hawk’s broken feather before the next flight.
A solymásznak a következő reptetés előtt meg kellett toldania a sólyom törött evezőtollát.
After the molt, they imps a few feathers to restore the bird’s balance.
Vedlés után néhány evezőtollat megtoldanak, hogy helyreállítsák a madár egyensúlyát.
Once the wing was imped, the bird could fly smoothly again.
Common mistake:
This verb is specialized; in general English, imp is usually a noun.
Meaning
repair a bird’s feather by splicing
Collocations
imp a feather
|imp the wing
|imp a broken feather
|imping a hawk’s feather
|need to imp
|carefully imp
|successfully imp
|imped feather
|imping technique
|imping needle
Synonyms
splice (General word; imp is the specific falconry term.)
|
repair (Broader; does not specify the method.)
Antonyms
damage (To harm rather than fix.)
Themes
animals
|sports
|craft
|nature
Definition
to fix a bird’s feather by joining on a new piece
To repair a bird’s broken flight feather by splicing in a replacement piece, especially in falconry.
Grammar
Dictionary form
imp
IPA
GB/ˈɪmp/
US/ˈɪmp/
Syllables & stress
imp (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (imp)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: imp
- Plural: imps
Verb
- Base: imp
- 3rd Person Singular: imps
- Present Participle: imping
- Past: imped
- Past Participle: imped
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.