2. Belonging to, or suitable to, supreme authority, or one who wields it; royal; sovereign; supreme. "The imperial democracy of Athens." Mitford.
Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns With an imperial voice.
Shak.
To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free, These are imperial arts, and worthy thee.
Dryden.
He sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle.
E. Everett.
3. Of superior or unusual size or excellence; as, imperial paper; imperial tea, etc.
Imperial bushel, gallon, etc. See Bushel, Gallon, etc. -- Imperial chamber, the, the sovereign court of the old German empire. -- Imperial city, under the first German empire, a city having no head but the emperor. -- Imperial diet, an assembly of all the states of the German empire. -- Imperial drill. (Manuf.) See under 8th Drill. -- Imperial eagle. (Zoöl.) See Eagle. -- Imperial green. See Paris green, under Green. -- Imperial guard, the royal guard instituted by Napoleon I. - - Imperial weights and measures, the standards legalized by the British Parliament.
Im*pe"ri*al, n. [F. impériale: cf. Sp. imperial.]
1. The tuft of hair on a man's lower lip and chin; -- so called from the style of beard of Napoleon III.
2. An outside seat on a diligence. T. Hughes.
3. A luggage case on the top of a coach. Simmonds.
4. Anything of unusual size or excellence, as a large decanter, a kind of large photograph, a large sheet of drawing, printing, or writing paper, etc.
5. A gold coin of Russia worth ten rubles, or about eight dollars. McElrath.
6. A kind of fine cloth brought into England from Greece. or other Eastern countries, in the Middle Ages.
Im*pe"ri*al*ism (?), n. The power or character of an emperor; imperial authority; the spirit of empire.
Roman imperialism had divided the world.
C. H. Pearson.
Im*pe"ri*al*ist, n. [Cf. F. impérialiste.] One who serves an emperor; one who favors imperialism.
Im*pe`ri*al"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Imperialities (&?;).
1. Imperial power.
2. An imperial right or privilegs. See Royalty.
The late empress having, by ukases of grace, relinquished her imperialities on the private mines, viz., the tenths of the copper, iron, silver and gold.
W. Tooke.
Im*pe"ri*al*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imperialized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Imperializing (?).] To invest with imperial authority, character, or style; to bring to the form of an empire. Fuller.
Im*pe"ri*al*ly, adv. In an imperial manner.
Im*pe"ri*al*ly (?), n. Imperial power. [R.] Sheldon.
The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section I, J, K, and L · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.