n. [ F. impression, L. impressio. ] 1. The act of impressing, or the state of being impressed; the communication of a stamp, mold, style, or character, by external force or by influence. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation; sensible result of an influence exerted from without. [ 1913 Webster ] The stamp and clear impression of good sense. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must spin, we must weave, we must build. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or agency; appearance; phenomenon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the air. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence, interest, concern. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ] His words impression left. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] Such terrible impression made the dream. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] I have a father's dear impression,
And wish, before I fall into my grave,
That I might see her married. Ford. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery. [ 1913 Webster ] Which must be read with an impression. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. (Print.) The pressure of the type on the paper, or the result of such pressure, as regards its appearance; as, a heavy impression; a clear, or a poor, impression; also, a single copy as the result of printing, or the whole edition printed at a given time; as, a copy from the fifth impression. [ 1913 Webster ] Ten impressions which his books have had. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in house painting and the like. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 9. (Engraving) A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]
Proof impression, one of the early impressions taken from an engraving, before the plate or block is worn. [ 1913 Webster ]
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