| 释义 |
▪ I. imperial, a. and n.|ɪmˈpɪərɪəl|
Forms: α. 4– imperial; also 4–7 -all, 4 ymperyall, 5 imperiale, -ryal, -real, 5–6 -ryall(e, -ialle, 6 ymperiall. β. 4–7 emperial, -all, 5 -ialle, -eryal, -irial.
[a. OF. em-, imperial (12th c. in Hatz-Darm.), ad. L. imperiālis, f. imperium: see below, and -al1.]
A. adj. Pertaining to an empire or emperor.
I.
1. Of or pertaining to an empire, or to the empire in question; orig. belonging to the ancient Roman imperium or Empire; hence, to the Holy Roman (or German) Empire, or to any so-called Empire of modern times.
1390Gower Conf. III. 61 A great cronique emperiall. c1400Rom. Rose 6421 There shalle no jugge imperial, Ne bisshop, ne official, Done jugement on me. 1469Sc. Acts Jas. III 20 Nov. in Acts Parl. Scotl. (1814) II. 95 Þe Imperiale notaris. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ccxiv. [ccx.] 658 He..shewed certayne letters patentes apostolykes and imperyalles. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 169 b, The Duchie [Milan] is Imperiall, and in our gifte as many other seigniories bee. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 285 The Coynes of other Princes and free Cities, are stamped with the Imperiall Eagle. 1727–41Chambers Cycl., Imperial Chamber, is a sovereign court, established for the affairs of the immediate states of the empire. 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iii. ii. 67 The Northern limits of Imperial sway. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 45 High above, the Imperial double eagle figured in all its ugliness.
2. Of or pertaining to a sovereign state, which in its independence and importance ranks with an empire.
a. Said of England, from the 16th c., in assertion of its independence of and sovereign equality with the ‘Holy Roman’ Empire (see quot. from Blackstone).
1532–3Act 24 Hen. VIII, c. 12 This realme of England is an Impire..gouerned by one supreme head and kynge, hauynge the dignitie and royall estate of thimperiall crowne of the same. 1536Wriothesley Chron. (Camden) I. 52 This realme is..an emperiall sea of itself. 1556Parker (title) A Defence of priestes mariages, stablysshed by the imperiall lawes of the Realme of Englande. 1660Trial Regic. 11 What is an Imperial Crown? It is that, which, as to the Coercive part, is subject to no man under God. 1705J. Anderson (title) Historical Essay showing that the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland is imperial and independent. 1724Swift Drapier's Lett. Wks. 1755 V. ii. 73 Ireland is, on the contrary, called in some statutes an imperial crown, as held only from God. 1765Blackstone Comm. I. vii. 242 The meaning..of the legislature, when it uses these terms of empire and imperial, and applies them to the realm and crown of England, is only to assert that our king is equally sovereign and independent within these his dominions, as any emperor is in his empire; and owes no kind of subjection to any other potentate upon earth.
b. Said, in more recent times, of the parliament, legislation, government, taxation, etc., of Great Britain, as distinct from those formerly possessed by its constituent kingdoms, from those of local application, and from those of colonies and foreign dependencies.
1774Burke Amer. Tax. Wks. II. 436 The parliament of Great Britain sits at the head of her extensive empire in two capacities: one as the local legislature of this island..The other, and..nobler capacity, is what I call her imperial character; in which..she superintends all the several inferiour legislatures. 1802Windham Speeches Parl. 24 May (1812) I. 341 The subject..appeared more especially unworthy of being entertained by the imperial parliament. 1858J. B. Norton Topics 142 All those things..which are from their nature imperial, require some one central controlling authority. a1859Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. V. 56 The only power which such men as Washington and Franklin denied to the Imperial legislature was the power of taxing. 1865Times 29 Apr., The improvement..was traced by Mr. Gladstone through every branch of the Imperial income. 1888Daily News 15 Sept. 5/3 The United Kingdom is an ‘Imperial’ State—a State exercising ‘imperium’, or dominion over the colonies and other dependencies.
c. Designating certain decorations or orders.
1878London Gaz. (Suppl.) 4 Jan. 113/1 The Queen has been graciously pleased..to institute and create an Order of Distinction, to be styled and designated ‘The Imperial Order of the Crown of India’. 1902Encycl. Brit. XXXI. 340/1 The Imperial Service Order was..instituted on 26th June 1902, to commemorate King Edward's coronation. Ibid., The Imperial Order of the Crown of India is conferred for like purposes as the order of the Indian Empire. 1971Whitaker's Almanack 261 The Imperial Service Order..consists of the Sovereign and Companions (not exclusively male) to a number not exceeding 1325 of whom 750 may belong to the Home Civil Services and 575 to Overseas Civil Services.
d. Imperial Defence: defence of Great Britain and of its dependent territories.
1897G. S. Clarke (title) Imperial defence. 1902Encycl. Brit. XXVI. 401/1 The appointment in 1879 of a royal commission to consider the question of Imperial defence, which presented its report in 1882, led to a considerable development and reorganization of the system of Imperial fortifications. 1910Ibid. III. 254/1 His [sc. A. J. Balfour's] institution of the permanent Committee of Imperial Defence, and of the new Army Council (1904), were reforms of the highest importance. 1938Ann. Reg. 1937 67 The national defence was being quite adequately organised by the Committee of Imperial Defence.
e. Designating a policy or an institution concerned with the development of commerce between the constituent parts of the British Commonwealth (formerly the British Empire); esp. in imperial preference, a system of tariff concessions granted by members of the British Empire or Commonwealth to one another.
1902Encycl. Brit. XXVI. 397/2 The foundation of the Imperial Federation League—in 1884. Ibid. XXXIII. 393/1 The British Empire League, and the Imperial Trade Defence League endeavour to promote inter-Imperial trade. Ibid. 681/2 On 4th July she laid the foundation stone of the Imperial Institute. 1912J. S. Huxley Individual in Animal Kingdom ii. 54 All the wheat in Canada, with Imperial Preference to help, would not keep her [sc. the English nation] from starvation. 1922Encycl. Brit. XXX. 1016/2 At the end of April [1917] Mr. Bonar Law announced..that the Imperial War Cabinet had accepted the principle of Imperial Preference. Ibid. 1025/2 The main feature of the budget [1919] was the establishment at last of imperial preference. 1927Daily Tel. 5 Mar. 8/7 Appreciation of the work of the Imperial Economic Committee and the Empire Marketing Board for the development of the market for Dominion produce in Great Britain. 1931G. C. Tryon (title) Short history of imperial preference. 1958Listener 18 Sept. 407/2 Both [sc. Australia and New Zealand] have sought to give foreign suppliers a better competitive position in their own markets by reducing imperial preferences to oil the wheels of reciprocity. 1971A. Shonfield in A. Bullock 20th Cent. xiv. 331/2 The Imperial Preference system was successful in helping the British industrial recovery in the 1930s.
3. a. Of or pertaining to the (or an) emperor.
c1384Chaucer H. Fame iii. 271 But al on hye above a dees Sit in a see imperiall..Y saugh perpetually y-stalled A femynyne creature. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) v. xi. 101 Vnto thyn estate Imperyall no preysynge is that maye be peregal. 1549–62Sternhold & H. Ps. ciii. 19 And by his power imperiall, he gouernes all the world. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 262 They both aspired to a Majesty and Power plainly Imperial. 1726Swift Gulliver i. i, A person of high rank from his Imperial Majesty. 1764Churchill Candidate 670 Where is the glory of imperial sway, If subjects none but just commands obey? 1832G. R. Porter Porcelain & Gl. 104 The honour of supplying the imperial [Chinese] court with porcelain. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. I. iii. 162 The Imperial titles and Imperial pretensions of the English Kings in the tenth and eleventh centuries.
b. esp. of the ancient Roman Emperors or the later Western and Eastern Emperors; spec. belonging to the party of the (Romano-German) Emperor.
c1470Harding Chron. lxxx. vii, Maximian Kyng of greate Brytain By whole decre, and will of the senate, Was emperour of Roome, and ruled Almaigne..Wherfore we clayme the throne empirial. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. ccli. (1482) 322 Frederyk duk of Osteryke was crouned with imperyal dyademe of pope nycholas the iiij. 1494Fabyan Chron. iv. lxvii. 45 Whan y⊇ forsayd .ii. Emperoures had..resygned and gyuen ouer all Imperyall dygnytie, this sayde Constancius wt..Galerius, were made Emperours. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xcix. 322 Thyther came themperour rychely armed with y⊇ armes imperyall. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 178 The towne of Cappe..became imperiall and turned to the Emperors part. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. xxi. 59 A slave unto the Emperor [the Sultan]..durst very well advance himselfe to come too the estate imperiall. 1588Shakes. Tit. A. i. i. 6 The Imperiall Diadem of Rome. 1658Sir T. Browne Hydriot. (1896) 21 The faces of many imperial persons,..Cæsar, Claudius [etc.]. 1708Swift Predict., The pope..will die..and..be succeeded by a cardinal of the imperial faction. 1836Scenes of Commerce 230 Robes of Tyrian dye constituted, among the Romans, the imperial purple. 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iii. ii. 62 A series of imperial coins from Augustus to Diocletian. 1868W. Smith's Smaller Dict. Gr. & Rom. Antiq. s.v. Provincia, The senatorian provinces were distributed among consulares and those who had filled the office of praetor..The imperial provinces were governed by legati Caesaris, with praetorian power, the proconsular power being in the Caesar himself, and the legati being his deputies and representatives.
4. fig. and transf. Of the nature or rank of an emperor or supreme ruler; ruling, commanding, supreme in authority.
1390Gower Conf. III. 213 Thus the sonne is over all The Chefe planet imperiall. c1460in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 81 O Quene of hevyn imperyalle. 1541–2Act 33 Hen. VIII in Bolton Stat. Irel. (1621) 184 Honours..to the estate and majestie of a king imperiall appertayning or belonging. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. ii. i. 163 And the imperiall Votresse passed on, In maiden meditation, fancy free. 1696Prior To the King 47 Imperial Britain on the sea looks down. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 377 Every Creature, and of every Kind,..Not only Man's Imperial Race.
5. a. Having a commanding quality, demeanour, or aspect; majestic, august, lofty, exalted.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. i. 3 (Camb. MS.), I ne myhte nat knowen what þat womman was of so Imperial auctorite. c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 11 This tabernacle of most magnyfycence Whas of his byldyng verry imperialle. 1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 254 O reuerend Chaucere, rose of rethoris all, As in our tong ane flour imperiall. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 137 Built by Pope Sixtus the fifth, with Imperiall magnificence. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 83 They would suffer none to reign over them, but Princes that had such imperial Noses. 1781Cowper Lily & Rose 14 The Lily's height bespoke command, A fair imperial flower. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 20 In so splendid and imperial a manner did the English people, properly so called, first take place among the nations of the world.
b. Assuming or affecting a commanding character or manner; domineering, imperious,
1581Mulcaster Positions xxxvi. (1887) 136 Scholers by reason of their conceit which learning inflameth..become to imperiall to rest upon a litle. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Quality (1808) IV. 134, I am under the positive interdiction of an imperial thing called a husband. 1830Galt Lawrie T. iv. i. (1849) 143 The squire he is mighty imperial.
6. Befitting an emperor of supreme ruler; of special excellence; magnificent; exceedingly fine or grand. (See also 8, 10.)
In quot. 1848 with humorous allusion to the ‘imperial purple’.
1731Pope Ep. Burlington 204 These are Imperial Works, and worthy Kings [cf. Dryden æneid vi. 1177 To tame the proud, the fettered slave to free, These are imperial arts, and worthy thee [Rome]]. 1848Dickens Dombey xx, His imperial complexion was mainly referred by the faculty to that circumstance. 1871E. F. Burr Ad Fidem v. 79 The marrow, and fatness of this imperial diet.
II. In special connexions and phrases.
7. Applied to those weights and measures appointed by statute to be used throughout the United Kingdom, instead of those various ones formerly in local use.
1838T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 726, 10 ounces avoirdupois, of acid, for every imperial gallon of tar employed. 1843Penny Cycl. XXVII. 202/1 Imperial Measure.—This measure supersedes the old corn, wine, and beer measures. 1854Dickens Hard T. i, Ready to have imperial gallons of facts poured into them. 1892Gardener's Chron. 27 Aug. 241/3 At a cost of about {pstlg}10 per imperial acre.
8. a. In names of various products or commodities of special size or quality. See also 10.
1664Evelyn Kal. Hort. 72 Plums, Imperial, Blew, White Dates. 1719London & Wise Compl. Gard. 219 Imperial Lettuces, which are of an extraordinary Size. 1747Gentl. Mag. XVII. 194 At morning store of cream, and tea, Either imperial, or bohea. 1795A. Anderson Narr. Brit. Emb. China 186 That shrub which bears what is called the Imperial and gunpowder teas. 1892Walsh Tea (Philad.) 74 The true Imperial tea..known in China as..the ‘perfection of tea’.
b. Formerly the name of a size of paper: of printing-paper originally 22 by 32 inches, of writing-paper 22 by 30; later designating a number of different dimensions, but standardized at 22 or 22½ by 30 inches (see B. 5 b below).
1668–9Wood Life (O.H.S.) IV. 82 To Mr. Hall, printer, for two large bibles of imperial paper, 19li. 10s. 1692Lond. Gaz. No. 2819/4 The Draught consisting of 4 Sheets of Imperial Paper. 1859Gullick & Timbs Paint. 286 The paper most generally used is of what is called ‘Imperial’ size. 1864Lowndes Bibl. Man. 2941 Wilson, Alexander. American Ornithology..Philadelphia, 1808–14. Imperial 4to. 9 vols.
c. Name of a particular make of roofing-slate, of large size (2½ × 2 ft.): cf. B. 5 c.
1823P. Nicholson Pract. Build. xi. 396 The Imperial Slating, for roofs, is particularly neat, and is known by having its lower edge sawn; whereas all the other slates, used for covering, are only chipped square on their edges.
9. Sporting slang. Said of a fall on one's head or ‘crown’.
1861G. J. Whyte-Melville Mkt. Harb. 134 Four imperial crowners at one and the same instant. 1889R. S. S. Baden-Powell Pigsticking 75 The fall that followed was ‘imperial’.
10. Phrases. imperial beard = B. 8; imperial blue, an aniline blue dye, also called spirit-blue; imperial city, (a) a city that is the seat of empire, or that is itself a sovereign or independent state; (b) one of those cities of the old German Empire which owned allegiance to the Emperor alone; † cloth imperial, a textile fabric in use in the Middle Ages, with figures woven in gold; app. so called as being made at Constantinople: see also B. 3; † imperial crown, the flower now called crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis); imperial dome or imperial roof, a dome of pointed form, the vertical section of which is an ogee or curve of contrary flexure; imperial drink (formerly † i. water), a drink made of cream of tartar flavoured with lemons and sweetened; imperial elephant, imperial mammoth [tr. of Elephas imperator (J. Leidy 1858, in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 10), which was later included in the genus Mammuthus]: a fossil mammal, Mammuthus imperator, found in Pleistocene remains in south-western North America; imperial pigeon, a large fruit-eating pigeon, esp. one of the genus Ducula, found in south-eastern Asia, including India, and the Pacific region; imperial roof, see imperial dome above; imperial water, see imperial drink above; imperial yellow, name of a kind of porcelain made in China, having a uniform yellow glaze, said to be reserved for the use of the imperial court; hence applied to other kinds imitating this in colour.
1859Jephson & Reeve Brittany 13 The other soldier, with a huge *imperial beard.
1563Homilies ii. Idolatry ii. (1640) 31 The *Emperiall citty Constantinople. 1586A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 25 We hasted thence to a city, called Noremberghe, being imperiall, situate in the high parts of Germany. 1601R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 85 Geneva is an imperiall citty in Savoy. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 45 Taken from them Constantinople the Imperiall Citie. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 203 City of Erfurt..is a free City, but not an imperiall City; and paies some tribute to the Bishop of Metz, and to the Saxon Duke of Wineberg. [1178in Twysden Hist. Anglic. Scripta I. 602 Pannos quos Constantinopolis civitas vocat Imperiales.]
a1500York Fabric Rolls (Surtees) 310 Two blue copes of *clothe imperialle.
1706J. Gardiner tr. Rapin on Gardens (1728) 19 Then her gay gilded front th' *Imperial Crown Erects aloft. 1746–7Hervey Medit. (1818) 137 See the imperial crown, splendid and beautifully grand!
1886Syd. Soc. Lex., *Imperial drink. 1897Allbutt Syst. Med. III. 21 Plain water, barley water, lemonade or imperial drink may be allowed at will.
1913W. B. Scott Hist. Land Mammals W. Hemisphere xii. 485 The largest of American proboscideans was the *Imperial Elephant.
1910H. F. Osborn Age of Mammals vi. 442 The Columbian and *imperial mammoths were for a time at least contemporaneous with the mastodon. 1945A. S. Romer Vertebr. Paleont. (ed. 2) xxi. 416 M[ammuthus] imperator, the imperial mammoth of southern North America, was more advanced in size and dental development. 1966Imperial mammoth [see baluchitherium].
1864T. C. Jerdon Birds India III. 455 Carpophaga sylvatica... *Imperial Pigeon of Europeans in the South of India. 1895Jrnl. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. X. 360 The green Imperial Pigeon..may be frequently met with nearly all over North Cachar. 1913E. C. S. Baker Indian Pigeons & Doves 103 Hodgson's Imperial Pigeon is less quarrelsome than most of the family. 1934‘G. Orwell’ Burmese Days xiv. 211 Flo [sc. a dog]..came running excitedly up..with the big imperial pigeon in her mouth. 1967D. Goodwin Pigeons & Doves of World 384 The large species of fruit pigeons are often termed the imperial pigeons because of their impressive and majestic-looking if somewhat ponderous appearance.
1615Markham Eng. Housew. ii. iii. (1668) 104 To make the *Emperial water. 1769Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 327 To make Imperial Water.
1881Porcelain Works, Worcester 35 The Persian turquoise, *Imperial yellow, mauve, Celeste, and other enamels present an interesting series. 1884Chr. World (Fam. Circle ed.) 4 Nov. 260/4 Amongst the favourite colours are imperial yellow, Nile blue.
B. n.
1. a. A member of the Emperor's party; a soldier of the Imperial troops: = imperialist 1.
c1524Bp. of Bath in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 320 The Imperialles shall shortly receyve large sommys off monye. 1563Golding (title) The Historie of Leonard Aretine concerning the Warres betwene the Imperialls and the Gothes for the possession of Italy. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 101 The Emperour and Germans, or if you please the Imperials. 1693Mem. Cnt. Teckely iv. 58 The Imperials encamped as near them as possibly they could. 1890T. W. Allies Peter's Rock 329 It came to a fierce struggle between the Italians on the Pope's side and the imperials.
†b. A decree or statute of the Emperor. Obs.
1614Selden Titles Hon. 21 That great Volum of Lawes..comprehending a collection out of the Digests, Code, Nouells, and other Imperialls, was titled τὰ βασίλικα.
c. An imperial personage. (In 16–17th c. used as = emperor.)
1588Shakes. Tit. A. iv. iii. 93 A matter of brawle, betwixt my Vncle, and one of the Emperialls men. 1591― Two Gent. ii. iii. 5, I..am going with Sir Protheus to the Imperialls Court. 1628J. Gaule Pract. The. (1629) 260 To quell and curbe the Seditious and Rebellious, to exact the Imperials Due, and mannage his Force. 1841Motley Corr. (1889) I. iv. 89 At twelve the Imperials [Emperor and Empress of Russia] retired and dismissed us.
2.
†a. A former Flemish coin of the value of 2½ rixdollars. Obs.
1674R. Godfrey Inj. & Ab. Physic 48 Glauber..had receiv'd six hundred Imperials before hand. 1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v. Coin, Flemish Coins.—Those of gold are imperials [etc.]... Imperial, 11s. 3d.
b. A Russian gold coin, formerly valued at 10 silver roubles, subsequently (1899) at 15.
1839Penny Cycl. XV. 324/1 Imperial, a Russian gold coin, of 10 rubles... The English mint value of the imperial coined before 1763 has been given at 2l. 1s. 6d... The present value is 33s. 4d. 1897Daily News 16 Jan. 3/2 The ukase..orders that imperials and half-imperials shall be minted with the inscriptions ‘15 roubles’ and ‘7½ roubles’ respectively.
†3. Short for cloth imperial: see A. 10. Obs.
1476Plumpton Corr. 37 As for your cope..I send you a peice of baudkin, and another of impereal, to se whether ye will hafe of. 1483Wardr. Acc. in Antiq. Rep. (1807) I. 49 ij canopies, one made of imperial, and the other of baldekyn. 1876Rock Text. Fabr. v. 39 At the end of the twelfth century there was brought to England from Greece, a sort of precious silk, named Imperial.
4. A case or trunk for luggage, fitted on, or adapted for, the roof of a coach or carriage. Also the roof or top of a carriage itself (F. impériale).
1794W. Felton Carriages (1801) II. Gloss., Imperial, a leathered case, which is placed occasionally on the roof of the body [of the carriage] for the purpose of carrying cloaths, etc. safe. 1796Nelson 22 June in Nicolas Disp. (1846) VII. p. lxxxvi, In a Vessel lately taken by my Squadron is an imperiale full of clothes belonging to a General Officer. 1825T. H. Lister Granby xiv. (1836) 97 The carriage with its ponderous trunks and towering imperials, was actually at the door. 1857Hughes Tom Brown i. i, Couriers and ladies'-maids, imperials and travelling carriages, are an abomination to me. 1875J. H. Bennet Winter Medit. ii. xi. 392, I was on the imperial or top of the diligence for the view, sitting next to the conductor.
5. a. A trade name for various articles of special size or quality: cf. A. 8, 10.
1858Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Imperial, relating to royalty; any thing large, as a large decanter.
b. A size of paper: see A. 8 b above.
1712Act 10 Anne in Lond. Gaz. No. 5018/3 For all Paper called..Imperial fine 16s... per Ream. 1790Wolcott (P. Pindar) Ep. to Sylv. Urban Wks. 1812 II. 261 His nice⁓discerning knowledge none deny On Crown, Imperial, Foolscap, and Demy. 1878Print. Trades Jrnl. No. 25. 16 The sheet is somewhat large—the length of imperial. 1952E. J. Labarre Dict. Paper (ed. 2) 130/1 Imperial. Now standardized for writings and printings at 30{pp} × 22{pp} and for wrappings at 29{pp} × 22½{pp}, for boards at 30{pp} × 22½{pp} and their multiples. 1968Specification Sizes Papers & Boards (B.S.I.) 14 (heading) Table 2. Writing and printing papers and offset cartridges... Imperial..22 × 30. Ibid. 15 Table 3. Ledger papers... Imperial..22 × 30. Ibid. 17 Table 7. Paste boards; and duplex, triplex and ivory boards... Paste imperial..22½ × 30. Ibid., Table 8. Drawing cartridges... Imperial..22 × 30.
c. A kind of roofing-slate: see A. 8 c.
1823P. Nicholson Pract. Build. xi. 395 The Welsh Slates..Imperials, 2 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. Ibid. 396 Patent slating..at the present time..is composed of the Imperials, which are lighter, and much neater in appearance.
d. Short for imperial water or drink: see A. 10.
1827Blackw. Mag. XXI. 829 Imperial, ginger-pop, soda-water, or lemonade.
6. Short for imperial dome or roof: see A. 10.
1826J. Elmes Bibliogr. Dict. Fine Arts, Imperial,..a kind of roof or dome which, viewed in its profile, is pointed towards the top, and widens itself more and more in descending towards its base. 1842–76Gwilt Archit. Gloss.
7. A game at cards. ? Obs.
1798Sporting Mag. XII. 31 A general description of the game of Imperial. 1847–78Halliwell, Imperial, a game at cards, mentioned as having been played by Henry VIII.
8. A small part of the beard left growing beneath the lower lip.
[1829Balzac La Maison du Chat-qui-Pelote in Œuvres (1938) I. 64 Sa figure..était encore animée par de petites moustaches relevées en pointe et noires comme du jais, par une impériale bien fournie,..et par une forêt de cheveux noirs assez en désordre.] 1835S. Horsley Let. in R. B. Gotch Mendelssohn & his Friends in Kensington (1934) 192 What with his black hair longer than ever, a beard which he is now cultivating to a great length, mustachios and an imperial,..made you suspect the fact of his having escaped across the country from some wandering menagerie. 1838H. Mozley Let. 2 Nov. in D. Mozley Newman Family Lett. (1962) 77 Mr. Sidney Herbert..is..a silly looking coxcomb, with a most disfiguring imperial. 1839Blackw. Mag. Oct. 507/2 An imperial—i.e. a dirt-coloured tuft of hair. 1856I. L. Bird Englishw. Amer. 366 Eccentricities of appearance in the shape of beards and imperials. 1859O. W. Holmes Prof. Breakf.-t. i. (1891) 4 A person with black whiskers and imperial.
▪ II. imperial(l, -yal
obs. ff. empyreal. |