imperative


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im·per·a·tive

 (ĭm-pĕr′ə-tĭv)
adj.
1. Necessary or urgent: "It is imperative that we continue to move with speed to make housing more affordable" (Timothy Geithner). See Synonyms at urgent.
2. Expressing a command or plea; peremptory: requests that grew more and more imperative.
3. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting the mood that expresses a command or request.
n.
1.
a. A rule, principle, or need that requires or compels certain action: "the internal tension in [military] doctrine, between the desire to prescribe a common way of fighting and the imperative of adjusting particular military actions to circumstances" (Eliot A. Cohen).
b. A command; an order.
2. Grammar
a. The imperative mood.
b. A verb form of the imperative mood.

[Middle English imperatif, relating to the imperative mood, from Old French, from Late Latin imperātīvus, from Latin imperātus, past participle of imperāre, to command; see emperor.]

im·per′a·tive·ly adv.
im·per′a·tive·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

imperative

(ɪmˈpɛrətɪv)
adj
1. extremely urgent or important; essential
2. peremptory or authoritative: an imperative tone of voice.
3. (Grammar) grammar Also: imperatival denoting a mood of verbs used in giving orders, making requests, etc. In English the verb root without any inflections is the usual form, as for example leave in Leave me alone
n
4. something that is urgent or essential
5. an order or command
6. (Grammar) grammar
a. the imperative mood
b. a verb in this mood
[C16: from Late Latin imperātīvus, from Latin imperāre to command]
imˈperatively adv
imˈperativeness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

im•per•a•tive

(ɪmˈpɛr ə tɪv)

adj.
1. absolutely necessary or required: It is imperative that we leave.
2. of the nature of or expressing a command.
3. of or designating a grammatical mood used in commands, exhortations, etc., as in Listen! Go! Compare indicative (def. 2), subjunctive (def. 1).
n.
4. a command; order.
5. an unavoidable obligation or requirement: the imperatives of leadership.
6.
a. the imperative mood.
b. a verb in this mood.
7. an obligatory statement, principle, or the like.
[1520–30; < Late Latin imperātivus < Latin imperātus, past participle of imperāre to impose, command; see emperor]
im•per′a•tive•ly, adv.
im•per′a•tive•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

imperative

A form of a verb or a construction that is used to express a command.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.imperative - a mood that expresses an intention to influence the listener's behavior
modality, mood, mode - verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker
2.imperative - some duty that is essential and urgent
duty, obligation, responsibility - the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; "we must instill a sense of duty in our children"; "every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty"- John D.Rockefeller Jr
Adj.1.imperative - requiring attention or action; "as nuclear weapons proliferate, preventing war becomes imperative"; "requests that grew more and more imperative"
assertive, self-asserting, self-assertive - aggressively self-assured; "an energetic assertive boy who was always ready to argue"; "pointing directly at a listener is an assertive act"
2.imperative - relating to verbs in the imperative mood
grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

imperative

adjective urgent, essential, pressing, vital, crucial, compulsory, indispensable, obligatory, exigent It's imperative to know your rights at such a time.
urgent unnecessary, optional, unimportant, avoidable, nonessential, discretional
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

imperative

adjective
1. Compelling immediate attention:
2. Imposed on one by authority, command, or convention:
noun
An act or course of action that is demanded of one, as by position, custom, law, or religion:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
صيغَة الأمْرصيغة فِعْل الأمْرضَروري بصورة مُطْلَقَه، حَتْمي
naléhavý požadavekrozkazovací způsob
bydemådeimperativ
felszólító módrendkívül fontossürgetõ
boîháttur
būtinaliepiamoji nuosaka
imperativs, paveles izteiksmekategorisks, absoluti nepieciešamspaveles-
rozkazovací spôsob
velelnik
emir kipişartzorunluzorunlu şart

imperative

[ɪmˈperətɪv]
A. ADJ
1. (= essential) → imprescindible, fundamental
it is imperative that he comeses imprescindible or fundamental que venga
it was imperative to destroy the bridgeera fundamental destruir el puente
an imperative needuna necesidad imperiosa
2. (= authoritative) [manner, command] → imperativo, imperioso
3. (Ling) → imperativo
B. N
1. (frm) (= need, drive) → imperativo m
any animal's first imperative is to surviveel primer imperativo de cualquier animal es sobrevivir
2. (Ling) → imperativo m
a verb in the imperativeun verbo en (el) imperativo
C. CPD imperative mood N (Ling) → modo m imperativo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

imperative

[ɪmˈpɛrətɪv]
adj
(= vital) → impératif/ive
it is imperative to ... → il est impératif de ...
It is imperative to stick to your budget → Il est impératif de ne pas dépasser le budget.
It's imperative to know what your rights are → Il est impératif de connaître ses droits.
it is imperative for sb to do sth
It is imperative for us to act quickly → Il est impératif que nous agissions vite.
it is imperative that ... → il est impératif que ... + subj
to make it imperative for sb to do sth → rendre impérative la décision de qn de faire qch
The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act → Les événements des derniers jours ont rendu impérative sa décision d'agir.
[tone] → impérieux/euse
n
(= matter of vital importance) → impératif m
a moral imperative → un impératif moral
a political imperative → un impératif politique
(= verb form) → impératif m
in the imperative → à l'impératif
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

imperative

adj
need, desiredringend; immediate action is imperativesofortiges Handeln ist dringend geboten
mannergebieterisch, befehlend, herrisch; orderstrikt
(Gram) → imperativisch, Imperativ-, befehlend, Befehls-; imperative formImperativ- or Befehlsform f
n
the political/moral/economic imperativedie politische/moralische/wirtschaftliche Notwendigkeit; there is a moral imperative to help the poores ist moralisch geboten, den Armen zu helfen
(Gram) → Imperativ m; in the imperativeim Imperativ, in der Befehlsform
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

imperative

[ɪmˈpɛrətɪv]
1. adj
a. (essential) → essenziale
it is imperative that he comes → è indispensabile che lui venga
b. (authoritative, manner, voice) → imperioso/a (Gram) → imperativo/a
2. n (Gram) → imperativo
in the imperative → all'imperativo
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

imperative

(imˈperətiv) noun, adjective
1. used of verbs that are expressing a command. In the sentence `Come here!', `come' is an imperative (verb).
2. absolutely necessary. It is imperative that we take immediate action to reduce pollution.
noun
In `Sit down!' the verb is in the imperative.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

imperative

n. inperativo;
a. imperativo-a; requerido-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
Macalister reminded him of the Categorical Imperative.
It was sharply imperative, a voice used to command.
And so, when Mister Haggin, or God, or call it what one will with the limitations of language, picked Jerry up with imperative abruptness, tucked him under his arm, and stepped into the whaleboat, whose black crew immediately bent to the oars, Jerry was instantly and nervously aware that the unusual had begun to happen.
It became imperative to lance the flying whale, or be content to lose him.
You are so impatient, sir, you would come at the infinitive mood before you can get to the imperative. As I was saying, sir, it was some time before he recollected my face."--"Confound your face!" cries Jones, "what of my Sophia?" "Nay, sir," answered Partridge, "I know nothing more of Madam Sophia than what I am going to tell you; and I should have told you all before this if you had not interrupted me; but if you look so angry at me you will frighten all of it out of my head, or, to use a purer phrase, out of my memory.
Therefore it was imperative to sleep under mosquito netting.
"I'm tired; I think not." Her glance wandered from his face away toward the Gulf, whose sonorous murmur reached her like a loving but imperative entreaty.
Grose I had an imperative, an almost frantic "Go, go!" before which, in infinite distress, but mutely possessed of the little girl and clearly convinced, in spite of her blindness, that something awful had occurred and some collapse engulfed us, she retreated, by the way we had come, as fast as she could move.
"I do not say, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "that it is imperative on knights-errant not to eat anything else but the fruits thou speakest of; only that their more usual diet must be those, and certain herbs they found in the fields which they knew and I know too."
de Treville, being informed of this by his Eminence, packed his portmanteau; and as without knowing the cause he knew the great desire and even imperative need which his friends had of returning to Paris, it goes without saying that he fixed upon them to form part of the escort.
For common gifts, necessity makes pertinences and beauty every day, and one is glad when an imperative leaves him no option; since if the man at the door have no shoes, you have not to consider whether you could procure him a paint-box.
Marriage, which was to bring guidance into worthy and imperative occupation, had not yet freed her from the gentlewoman's oppressive liberty: it had not even filled her leisure with the ruminant joy of unchecked tenderness.