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Webster 1913 Edition

Impressment

Im-press′ment

(ĭm-prĕs′ment)

,

Noun.

The act of seizing for public use, or of impressing into public service; compulsion to serve;

as, the

impressment

of provisions or of sailors

.

The great scandal of our naval service –

impressment

– died a protracted death.

J. H. Burton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Impressment

IMPRESS'MENT

,

Noun.

The act of impressing men into public service; as the impressment of seamen.

1.

The act of compelling into any service; as the impressment of nurses to attend the sick.

2.

The act of seizing for public use; as the impressment of provisions for the army.

Definition 2024

impressment

impressment

English

Noun

impressment ‎(plural impressments)

The act of seizing for public use; impressing into public service.
- 1808, Hansard, 3 February, 1808,
  owing to the immense number of our sailors, and the extent of our commerce, we were enabled by impressment and other means, to fit out and man a powerful fleet in a few weeks
- 1850, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Chapter V,
  Although it was a warm day, she seemed to think of nothing but the fire. I fancied she was jealous even of the saucepan on it; and I have reason to know that she took its impressment into the service of boiling my egg and broiling my bacon, in dudgeon […]
- 1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford 2004, p. 833:
  A month later the governors of six more states, meeting in conference, enigmatically urged the impressment of slaves for “the public service as may be required.”
- 2002, Colin Imber, The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power, Palgrave Macmillan, Chapter 8, p. 294,
  […] in years when need was pressing, […] the government would order the construction of extra ships at specified points on the shores of the Black Sea and Mediterranean, and the impressment of craftsmen to do the work.