catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Imp \Imp\, n. [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw.
     ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. ? engrafted, innate, fr. ? to
     implant; ? in + ? to produce; akin to E. be. See 1st In-,
     Be.]
     1. A shoot; a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft. [Obs.]
        --Chaucer.
  
     2. An offspring; progeny; child; scion. [Obs.]
  
              The tender imp was weaned.            --Fairfax.
  
     3. A young or inferior devil; a little, malignant spirit; a
        puny demon; a contemptible evil worker.
  
              To mingle in the clamorous fray Of squabbling imps.
                                                    --Beattie.
  
     4. Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen
        it out or repair it, -- as, an addition to a beehive; a
        feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; a length of
        twisted hair in a fishing line. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

  Imp \Imp\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imped; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Imping.] [AS. impian to imp, ingraft, plant; akin to Dan.
     ympe, Sw. ympa, OHG. impf[=o]n, impit[=o]n, G. impfen. See
     Imp, n.]
     1. To graft; to insert as a scion. [Obs.] --Rom. of R.
  
     2. (Falconry) To graft with new feathers, as a wing; to
        splice a broken feather. Hence, Fig.: To repair; to
        extend; to increase; to strengthen to equip. [Archaic]
  
              Imp out our drooping country's broken wing. --Shak.
  
              Who lazily imp their wings with other men's plumes.
                                                    --Fuller.
  
              Here no frail Muse shall imp her crippled wing.
                                                    --Holmes.
  
              Help, ye tart satirists, to imp my rage With all the
              scorpions that should whip this age.  --Cleveland.