Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Imperfect
Im-per′fect
,Adj.
[L.
imperfectus
: pref. im-
not + perfectus
perfect: cf. F imparfait
, whence OE. imparfit
. See Perfect
.] 1.
Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.
Something he left
imperfect
in the state. Shakespeare
Why, then, your other senses grow
imperfect
. Shakespeare
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
Of all that he created.
imperfect
or deficient leftOf all that he created.
Milton.
Then say not man’s
Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought.
imperfect
, Heaven in fault;Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought.
Pope.
Imperfect arch
, an arch of less than a semicircle; a skew arch.
– Imperfect cadence
(Mus.)
, one not ending with the tonic, but with the dominant or some other chord; one not giving complete rest; a half close.
– Imperfect consonances
(Mus.)
, chords like the third and sixth, whose ratios are less simple than those of the fifth and forth.
– Imperfect flower
(Bot.)
, a flower wanting either stamens or pistils.
Gray.
– Imperfect interval
(Mus.)
, one a semitone less than perfect;
– as, an
. imperfect
fifthImperfect number
(Math.)
, a number either greater or less than the sum of its several divisors; in the former case, it is called also a
– defective number
; in the latter, an abundant number
. Imperfect obligations
(Law)
, obligations as of charity or gratitude, which cannot be enforced by law.
– Imperfect power
(Math.)
, a number which can not be produced by taking any whole number or vulgar fraction, as a factor, the number of times indicated by the power; thus, 9 is a perfect square, but an imperfect cube.
– Imperfect tense
(Gram.)
, a tense expressing past time and incomplete action.
Im-per′fect
(ĭm-pẽr′fĕkt)
, Noun.
(Gram.)
The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.
Im-per′fect
,Verb.
T.
To make imperfect.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Imperfect
IMPER'FECT
,Adj.
1.
Not finished; not complete. The work or design is imperfect.2.
Defective; not entire, sound or whole; wanting a part; impaired. The writings of Livy are imperfect.3.
Not perfect in intellect; liable to err; as, men are imperfect; our minds and understandings are imperfect.4.
Not perfect in a moral view; not according to the laws of God, or the rules of right. Our services and obedience are imperfect.5.
In grammar, the imperfect tense denotes an action in time past, then present, but not finished.6.
In music, incomplete; not having all the accessary sounds; as an imperfect chord. An imperfect interval is one which does not contain its complement of simple sounds.
Definition 2024
imperfect
imperfect
English
Adjective
imperfect (comparative more imperfect, superlative most imperfect)
- Not perfect.
- Shakespeare
- Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect.
- Milton
- Nothing imperfect or deficient left / Of all that he created.
- Alexander Pope
- Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault; / Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought.
- Shakespeare
- (botany) unisexual: having either male (with stamens) or female (with pistil) flowers, but not with both.
- (taxonomy) Known or expected to be polyphyletic, as of a form taxon.
- (obsolete) Lacking some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
- Jeremy Taylor
- He […] stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person.
- Jeremy Taylor
Related terms
Synonyms
Antonyms
- (not perfect): perfect, infallible, faultless
- (unisexual): perfect
Translations
not perfect
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unisexual — see unisexual
Noun
imperfect (plural imperfects)
- Something having a minor flaw
- (grammar) A tense of verbs used in describing a past action that is incomplete or continuous.
Synonyms
- (grammar): preterimperfect
Derived terms
Translations
something having a minor flaw
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past tense
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