Part 5604

<i>Derham.</i>

<h1>Imperdible</h1> <Xpage=734>

<hw>Im*per"di*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>im-</ets> not + L. <ets>perdere</ets> to destroy.]</ety> <def>Not destructible.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark> -- <wordforms><wf>Im*per"di*bly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt> <mark>[Obs.]</mark></wordforms>

<h1>Imperfect</h1> <Xpage=734>

<hw>Im*per"fect</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>imperfectus</ets>: pref. <ets>im-</ets> not + <ets>perfectus</ets> perfect: cf. F <ets>imparfait</ets>, whence OE. <ets>imparfit</ets>. See <er>Perfect</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.</def>

<blockquote>Something he left <b>imperfect</b> in the state. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Why, then, your other senses grow <b>imperfect</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.</def>

<blockquote>He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, <b>imperfect</b> person. <i>Jer. Taylor.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>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.</def>

<blockquote>Nothing <b>imperfect</b> or deficient left Of all that he created. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Then say not man's <b>imperfect</b>, Heaven in fault; Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Imperfect arch</col>, <cd>an arch of less than a semicircle; a skew arch.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect cadence</col> <fld>(Mus.)</fld>, <cd>one not ending with the tonic, but with the dominant or some other chord; one not giving complete rest; a half close.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect consonances</col> <fld>(Mus.)</fld>, <cd>chords like the third and sixth, whose ratios are less simple than those of the fifth and forth.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect flower</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>a flower wanting either stamens or pistils. <i>Gray</i>.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect interval</col> <fld>(Mus.)</fld>, <cd>one a semitone less than perfect; as, an <i>imperfect<i> fifth.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect number</col> <fld>(Math.)</fld>, <cd>a number either greater or less than the sum of its several divisors; in the former case, it is called also a <stype>defective number</stype>; in the latter, an <stype>abundant number</stype>.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect obligations</col> <fld>(Law)</fld>, <cd>obligations as of charity or gratitude, which cannot be enforced by law.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect power</col> <fld>(Math.)</fld>, <cd>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 <i>imperfect<i> cube.</cd> -- <col>Imperfect tense</col> <sd>(Gram)</sd>, <cd>a tense expressing past time and incomplete action.</cd></cs>

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<h1>Imperfect</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im*per"fect</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Gram.)</fld> <def>The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.</def>

<h1>Imperfect</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im*per"fect</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To make imperfect.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Imperfectibility</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im`per*fec`ti*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state or quality of being imperfectible.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Imperfectible</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im`per*fec"ti*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Incapable of being mad perfect.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Imperfection</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im`per*fec"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>imperfectio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>imperfection</ets>. See <er>Imperfect</er>, <tt>a.</tt>]</ety> <def>The quality or condition of being imperfect; want of perfection; incompleteness; deficiency; fault or blemish.</def>

<blockquote>Sent to my account With all my <b>imperfections</b> on my head. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Defect; deficiency; incompleteness; fault; failing; weakness; frailty; foible; blemish; vice.</syn>

<h1>Imperfectness</h1> <Xpage=735>

<hw>Im*per"fect*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state of being imperfect.</def>