a. [ OE. emperial, OF. emperial, F. impérial, fr. L. imperialis, fr. imperium command, sovereignty, empire. See Empire. ] 1. Of or pertaining to an empire, or to an emperor; as, an imperial government; imperial authority or edict. [ 1913 Webster ]

The last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Belonging to, or suitable to, supreme authority, or one who wields it; royal; sovereign; supreme. “The imperial democracy of Athens.” Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns
With an imperial voice. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free,
These are imperial arts, and worthy thee. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

He sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle. E. Everett. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of superior or unusual size or excellence; as, imperial paper; imperial tea, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Imperial bushel,
gallon, etc. See Bushel, Gallon, etc. --
Imperial chamber, the, the sovereign court of the old German empire. --
Imperial city, under the first German empire, a city having no head but the emperor. --
Imperial diet, an assembly of all the states of the German empire. --
Imperial drill. (Manuf.) See under 8th Drill. --
Imperial eagle. (Zool.) See Eagle. --
Imperial green. See Paris green, under Green. --
Imperial guard, the royal guard instituted by Napoleon I. --
Imperial weights and measures, the standards legalized by the British Parliament. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. impériale: cf. Sp. imperial. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The tuft of hair on a man's lower lip and chin; -- so called from the style of beard of Napoleon III. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An outside seat on a diligence. T. Hughes. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A luggage case on the top of a coach. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anything of unusual size or excellence, as a large decanter, a kind of large photograph, a large sheet of drawing, printing, or writing paper, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A gold coin of Russia worth ten rubles, or about eight dollars. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A kind of fine cloth brought into England from Greece. or other Eastern countries, in the Middle Ages. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A game at cards differing from piquet in some minor details, and in having a trump; also, any one of several combinations of cards which score in this game. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. The power or character of an emperor; imperial authority; the spirit of empire. [ 1913 Webster ]

Roman imperialism had divided the world. C. H. Pearson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The policy, practice, or advocacy of seeking, or acquiescing in, the extension of the control, dominion, or empire of a nation, as by the acquirement of new, esp. distant, territory or dependencies, or by the closer union of parts more or less independent of each other for operations of war, copyright, internal commerce, etc. The practise of building or extending an empire. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

The tide of English opinion began to turn about 1870, and since then it has run with increasing force in the direction of what is called imperialism. James Bryce. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. F. impérialiste. ] One who serves an emperor; one who favors imperialism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Of, pertaining to, or advocating imperialism. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Imperialities [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Imperial power. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An imperial right or privilegs. See Royalty. [ 1913 Webster ]

The late empress having, by ukases of grace, relinquished her imperialities on the private mines, viz., the tenths of the copper, iron, silver and gold. W. Tooke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Imperialized p. pr. & vb. n. Imperializing ] To invest with imperial authority, character, or style; to bring to the form of an empire. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Imperial power. [ R. ] Sheldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an imperial manner. [ 1913 Webster ]