Part 90

Dryden.

Syn. -- To incarcerate; confine; immure.

Im*pris"on*er (?), n. One who imprisons.

Im*pris"on ment (?), n. [OE. enprisonment; F. emprisonnement.] The act of imprisoning, or the state of being imprisoned; confinement; restraint.

His sinews waxen weak and raw Through long imprisonment and hard constraint.

Spenser.

Every confinement of the person is an imprisonment, whether it be in a common prison, or in a private house, or even by foreibly detaining one in the public streets.

Blackstone.

False imprisonment. (Law) See under False.

Syn. -- Incarceration; custody; confinement; durance; restraint.

Im*prob`a*bil"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Improbabilities (#). [Cf. F. improbabilité.] The quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood; also, that which is improbable; an improbable event or result.

Im*prob"a*ble (?), a. [L. improbabilis; pref. im- not + probabilis probable: cf. F. improbable. See Probable.] Not probable; unlikely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances or in the usual course of events; as, an improbable story or event.

He . . . sent to Elutherius, then bishop of Rome, an improbable letter, as some of the contents discover.

Milton.

-- Im*prob"a*ble*ness, n. -- Im*prob"a*bly, adv.

Im"pro*bate (?), v. t. [L. improbatus, p. p. of improbare to disapprove; pref. im- not + probare to approve.] To disapprove of; to disallow. [Obs.]

Im`pro*ba"tion (?), n. [L. improbatio.] 1. The act of disapproving; disapprobation.

2. (Scots Law) The act by which falsehood and forgery are proved; an action brought for the purpose of having some instrument declared false or forged. Bell.

{ Im"pro*ba*tive (?), Im"pro*ba`to*ry (?) }, a. Implying, or tending to, improbation.

Im*prob"i*ty (?), n. [L. improbitas; pref. im- not + probitas probity: cf. F. improbité.] Lack of probity; want of integrity or rectitude; dishonesty.

Persons . . . cast out for notorious improbity.

Hooker.

{ Im`pro*fi"cience (?), Im`pro*fi"cien*cy, } n. Want of proficiency. [R.] Bacon.

Im*prof"it*a*ble (?), a. [Pref. im- not + profitable: cf. F. improfitable.] Unprofitable. [Obs.]

Im`pro*gress"ive (?), a. Not progressive. De Quincey. -- Im"pro*gress"ive*ly, adv.

Im`pro*lif"ic (?), a. [Pref. im- not + prolific: cf. F. improlifique.] Not prolific. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

Im`pro*lif"ic*ate (?), v. t. [Pref. im- in + prolificate.] To impregnate. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Im*prompt" (?), a. Not ready. [R.] Sterne.