Main Entry:

im·pres·sion

Pronunciation:

\im-ˈpre-shən\

Function:

noun

Date:

14th century

1 a: a characteristic, trait, or feature resulting from some influence <the impression on behavior produced by the social milieu> b: an effect of alteration or improvement <the settlement left little impression on the wilderness> c: a telling image impressed on the senses or the mind2: the effect produced by impressing: as a: a stamp, form, or figure resulting from physical contact b: an imprint of the teeth and adjacent portions of the jaw for use in dentistry c: an especially marked and often favorable influence or effect on feeling, sense, or mind 3: the act of impressing: as a: an affecting by stamping or pressing b: a communicating of a mold, trait, or character by an external force or influence 4 a: the amount of pressure with which an inked printing surface deposits its ink on the paper b: one instance of the meeting of a printing surface and the material being printed ; also : a single print or copy so made c: all the copies (as of a book) printed in one continuous operation from a single makeready5: an often indistinct or imprecise notion or remembrance6 a: the first coat of color in painting b: a coat of paint for ornament or preservation7: an imitation or representation of salient features in an artistic or theatrical medium ; especially : an imitation in caricature of a noted personality as a form of theatrical entertainment

synonyms see idea