impose

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To officially force a rule, tax, or punishment on people.

   The government imposed a new tax on imported cars.

2. 2
   verb

   To force something unwanted, such as a duty or burden, on someone.

   He tried to impose his opinions on everyone at the meeting.

3. 3
   verb

   To take unfair advantage of someone's kindness or time.

   I don't want to impose on you, but could I stay one more night?

Multiword verbs with impose

• impose on Prepositional verb B2

  to place an unwanted requirement or burden on someone

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Impose entered late Middle English and ultimately derives from Latin ponere, “to put or place.” Its formation conveys the literal idea “place upon.”

The verb is derived from Late Middle English imposen (“to place, set; to impose (a duty, etc.)”), borrowed from Middle French imposer, and Old French emposer, enposer (“to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”) (modern French imposer), from im-, em- (variants of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + poser (“to place, put”), modelled after: * Latin impōnere (“to place or set (something) on; (figurative) to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”), from im- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’)) + pōnō (“to place, put; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó, *h₂epó (“away; off”) + *tḱey- (“to cultivate;…

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