mimicmim‧ic1 /ˈmɪmɪk/ verb (past tense and past participle mimicked, present participle mimicking) [transitive] 
Word Origin Examples
He could mimic all the teachers’ accents. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she mimicked.2to behave or operate in exactly the same way as something or someone else: Europe should not try to mimic Japan: we have to find our own path to successful modernisation. The drug mimics the action of the body’s own chemicals.3if an animal mimics something, it looks or sounds very like it: a fly whose size and colour exactly mimics that of the wasp—mimicry noun [uncountable]: He has a gift for mimicry.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINmimic1
Verb TableOrigin:
1500-1600 mimic ‘copying’ (16-21 centuries), from Latin mimicus, from Greek, from mimos; ➔ MIME1VERB TABLE
mimic
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | mimic |
| he, she, it | mimics | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | mimicked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have mimicked |
| he, she, it | has mimicked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had mimicked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will mimic |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have mimicked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am mimicking |
| he, she, it | is mimicking | |
| you, we, they | are mimicking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was mimicking |
| you, we, they | were mimicking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been mimicking |
| he, she, it | has been mimicking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been mimicking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be mimicking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been mimicking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- ""Hmm,'' Phil said. ""Hmm,'' Graham mimicked.
- Jackson mimicked a foreign accent to make his point.
- The taste and texture mimic that of ice cream, without all the fat.
- This insect mimics the appearance of a wasp.
- Yolanda mimicked their father opening the letter.
- Firstly, why should a voluntary arrangement have to mimic an Administration Order?
- In its early stages, the symptoms of fatigue and nausea mimic heat exhaustion and can confuse the rangers.
- Occasionally the pain may mimic that of pancreatitis, gall bladder disease, appendicitis, or angina pectoris.
- The movement of energy from one end of the tube to the other mimics the effect of a moving mass.
- The parasites can fight back, with a range of eggs that mimic those of their chosen host.
- The result is an epidermis which is better able to mimic the softness and freshness of younger skin.
- Why do we not mimic the professionals or their caddies in other areas of the game?
- Yolanda mimics their father opening an envelope.
Longman Language Activatorto copy someone or something to make people laugh► imitate
Collocations to copy what someone says or does, in order to make people laugh: · She's really good at imitating our teacher's Scottish accent.
► do an impression/imitation to copy the way someone famous moves, talks etc, in order to make people laugh: · He made her laugh hysterically during their walks, with his impression of Gene Kelly doing "Singin' in the Rain.''
► mimic to unkindly copy the way someone talks or moves in order to make people laugh: · "Hmm," Phil said. "Hmm," Graham mimicked.· Yolanda mimicked their father opening the letter.
► a take-off of somebody/something also a take-off on somebody/something American informal a copy of the way someone moves or talks, or of the style of a movie, book, etc that is done to make people laugh: · A local television reporter dubbed him StyroCop - a take-off on the movie "RoboCop'' .do a take-off of/on somebody: · Karen can do a hilarious take-off of Bette Davis.
WORD SETS► Animalsaardvark, nounadder, nounAfghan, nounalley cat, nounalligator, nounalpaca, nounAlsatian, nounamphibian, nounamphibious, adjectiveangora, nounanimal, nounanteater, nounantelope, nounanthropoid, adjectiveantler, nounape, nounappaloosa, nounarachnid, nounarmadillo, nounasp, nounass, nounbaa, verbbaboon, nounbaby, nounbadger, nounbantam, nounbark, verbbark, nounbarnacle, nounbasset, nounbat, nounbay, nounbay, verbbay, adjectivebeagle, nounbear, nounbeast, nounbeast of burden, nounbeaver, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounbelly, nounbig cat, nounbig game, nounbighorn sheep, nounbilly goat, nounbiped, nounbison, nounbitch, nounbivalve, nounbleat, verbbloodhound, nounbloodstream, nounblow-hole, nounboa, nounboar, nounbobcat, nounbovine, adjectivebow-wow, nounboxer, nounbrainwave, nounbrindled, adjectivebristle, verbbronc, nounbronco, nounbrontosaurus, nounbrush, nounbuck, nounbuffalo, nounbull, nounbulldog, nounbullfrog, nounbullock, nounbull terrier, nounburro, nounburrow, nouncalf, nouncall, nouncalve, verbcamel, nouncanine, adjectivecanine, nouncarapace, nouncarcass, nouncaribou, nouncarnivore, nouncarthorse, nouncat, nouncattle, nouncaudal, adjectivecayman, nouncetacean, nounchameleon, nounchamois, nouncheetah, nounchestnut, nounchickadee, nounchicken, nounchihuahua, nounchimpanzee, nounchinchilla, nounchipmunk, nounchow, nounclaw, nouncloven hoof, nouncoat, nouncob, nouncobra, nouncocker spaniel, nouncold-blooded, adjectivecollie, nouncolouring, nouncolt, nouncomb, nounconnective tissue, nouncony, nouncoon, nouncopperhead, nouncorgi, nouncougar, nouncourtship, nouncow, nouncoyote, nouncoypu, nouncrest, nouncrocodile, nouncrop, verbcrustacean, nouncry, nouncub, nouncur, noundachshund, nounDalmatian, noundeer, nounden, noundentine, noundingo, noundinosaur, noundoe, noundog, noundolphin, noundomesticate, verbdonkey, noundormouse, noundorsal, adjectivedromedary, nounduckbilled platypus, nounearthworm, nounelephant, nounelk, nounentrails, nounermine, nounewe, nounexcreta, nounexcretion, nounfallopian tube, nounfallow deer, nounfang, nounfauna, nounfawn, nounfeed, nounfeeler, nounfeline, adjectivefeline, nounfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferal, adjectiveferret, nounfetlock, nounfieldmouse, nounfilly, nounfin, nounfleece, nounflipper, nounflying fox, nounfoal, nounfoal, verbfoetus, nounforefoot, nounforeleg, nounfox, nounfoxhound, nounfox terrier, nounFriesian, nounfrog, nounfrogspawn, nounfruit bat, nounfur, nounfurry, adjectivegarter snake, noungazelle, noungecko, noungeese, gelding, noungerbil, nounGerman shepherd, noungestation, noungiant panda, noungibbon, noungiraffe, noungnu, noungoat, noungolden retriever, noungopher, noungorilla, noungregarious, adjectivegreyhound, noungroundhog, nounground squirrel, noungrunt, verbguinea pig, nounhack, nounhackles, nounhairless, adjectivehamster, nounhare, nounhart, nounhaunch, nounhedgehog, nounheifer, nounhen, nounherbivore, nounherd, nounhermit crab, nounhibernate, verbhind, adjectivehind, nounhindquarters, nounhippo, nounhippopotamus, nounhock, nounhog, nounhoof, nounhorned, adjectivehorse, nounhound, nounhowl, verbhump, nounhusky, nounhyaena, nounhybrid, nounhyena, nounibex, nouniguana, nounimpala, nouninbred, adjectiveinbreeding, nouninsectivore, nouninterbreed, verbinvertebrate, nounjackal, nounjackrabbit, nounjaguar, nounjellyfish, nounJersey, nounkangaroo, nounkid, nounkoala, nounkookaburra, nounLabrador, nounlair, nounlamb, nounlemming, nounleopard, nounlion, nounlioness, nounlitter, nounlitter, verblizard, nounllama, nounlonghorn, nounlugworm, nounlynx, nounmale, nounmamba, nounmammal, nounmammary, adjectivemammoth, nounmandible, nounmandrill, nounmane, nounman-eater, nounmare, nounmarmoset, nounmarsupial, nounmarten, nounmastitis, nounmate, nounmate, verbmating, nounmaw, nounmenagerie, nounmew, verbmiaow, verbmice, nounmigrant, nounmilk, verbmimic, verbmimic, nounmink, nounmole, nounmollusc, nounmongoose, nounmongrel, nounmonkey, nounmoo, verbmoose, nounmoult, verbmountain goat, nounmountain lion, nounmouse, nounmule, nounmuskrat, nounmussel, nounmustang, nounmutt, nounmuzzle, nounnag, nounnanny goat, nounnative, adjectivenative, nounnest, nounnewt, nounnocturnal, adjectiveocelot, nounoctopus, nounoffspring, nounoink, interjectionokapi, nounOld English sheepdog, nounomnivore, nounomnivorous, adjectiveopossum, nounorangutang, nounotter, nounox, nounpachyderm, nounpack, nounpad, nounpair, nounpanda, nounpanther, nounparasite, nounparasitic, adjectivepaw, nounpaw, verbpeccary, nounpedigree, adjectivepeke, nounPekinese, nounpelt, nounPersian cat, nounpest, nounpheasant, nounpiebald, adjectivepied, adjectivepig, nounpiggy, nounpiglet, nounpincer, nounpine marten, nounpinto, nounpit bull terrier, nounpit pony, nounplankton, nounplate, nounplatypus, nounpointer, nounpolar bear, nounpolecat, nounpolyp, nounpony, nounpooch, nounpoodle, nounporcupine, nounporker, nounporpoise, nounPortuguese man-of-war, nounpossum, nounpouch, nounprairie dog, nounprance, verbpredation, nounpredator, nounpredatory, adjectiveprehensile, adjectiveprey, nounprickle, nounpride, nounprimate, nounproboscis, nounprocreate, verbprowl, verbpterodactyl, nounpuffin, nounpug, nounpullet, nounpuma, nounpup, nounpurebred, adjectivepurr, verbpussy, nounpython, nounquack, verbquadruped, nounquill, nounrabbit, nounrabbit warren, nounrabid, adjectiveraccoon, nounracoon, nounram, nounrat, nounrattler, nounrattlesnake, nounravening, adjectivereindeer, nounreptile, nounretract, verbretriever, nounrhesus monkey, nounrhino, nounrhinoceros, nounroan, nounrodent, nounroe deer, nounrottweiler, nounruminant, nounruminate, verbrump, nounrunt, nounrut, nounsable, nounsac, nounsalamander, nounsausage dog, nounscavenge, verbschool, nounscorpion, nounseal, nounsea lion, nounseashell, nounsea urchin, nounsemen, nounserpent, nounsetter, nounsex, verbshed, verbsheep, nounsheepdog, nounShetland pony, nounshire horse, nounshrew, nounshrimp, nounSiamese cat, nounsilkworm, nounsimian, adjectivesire, nounskin, nounskunk, nounsloth, nounslug, nounsnail, nounsnake, nounsnakebite, nounsnarl, verbsniffer dog, nounsnout, nounsocial, adjectivesow, nounspaniel, nounspawn, verbspawn, nounsperm whale, nounsponge, nounspoor, nounspore, nounspringbok, nounsquid, nounsquirrel, nounstag, nounstallion, nounstarfish, nounSt Bernard, nounsteed, nounsteer, nounsting, nounstinger, nounstoat, nounstomach, nounstray, adjectivestray, nounstud, nounsucker, nounsuckle, verbsuckling, nounswine, nountadpole, nountail, nountame, adjectivetame, verbtapeworm, nountapir, nounteat, nountentacle, nounterrapin, nounterrier, nounterritorial, adjectiveterritory, nountiger, nountigress, nountoad, nountom, nountomcat, nountooth, nountortoise, nountortoiseshell, nountrumpet, verbtrunk, nountufted, adjectiveturtle, nountusk, nountyrannosaurus, nounudder, nounuterus, nounvampire bat, nounvent, nounvermin, nounvertebrate, nounvicuña, nounviper, nounvivarium, nounvixen, nounvole, nounwag, verbwallaby, nounwallow, verbwalrus, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewarren, nounwarthog, nounwater buffalo, nounwater rat, nounwater vole, nounweasel, nounweevil, nounwhale, nounwhelk, nounwhelp, nounwhelp, verbwhinny, verbwhippet, nounwhisker, nounwild boar, nounwildcat, nounwildebeest, nounwildfowl, nounwinkle, nounwithers, nounwolf, nounwolfhound, nounwombat, nounwool, nounyak, nounyap, verbyap, nounyearling, nounyelp, nounYorkshire terrier, nounyoung, nounzebra, nounzoologist, nounzoology, nounzygote, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► action
1to copy the way someone speaks or behaves, especially in order to make people laugh SYN imitate, take off: · Mimic Snotlings don't really think for themselves, they merely mimic the actions of Orcs and Goblins around them.· On stage, two dancers mimic her actions or offer mild movement counterpoints.
VERB► try· In your language learning always pay attention to the rhythm and try to mimic the language helper as accurately as you can.· Beginning this year the water-flow into the park will try to mimic nature.· Scientists are now trying to mimic natural paclitaxel, so the trees will not have to die.· Unfortunately, these machines often try to mimic electronic digital computers rather than exploit their own advantages.· Meanwhile, biophysicist Professor H. Ti Trien and his team have been trying to mimic photosynthesis, in particular the charge separation step.· They represent true urban communities; they would not be trying to mimic the countryside.
He could mimic all the teachers’ accents. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she mimicked.2to behave or operate in exactly the same way as something or someone else: Europe should not try to mimic Japan: we have to find our own path to successful modernisation. The drug mimics the action of the body’s own chemicals.3if an animal mimics something, it looks or sounds very like it: a fly whose size and colour exactly mimics that of the wasp—mimicry noun [uncountable]: He has a gift for mimicry.