Im*pres"sion (?), 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.
2. That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation; sensible result of an influence exerted from without.
The stamp and clear impression of good sense.
Cowper.
To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must spin, we must weave, we must build.
Barrow.
3. That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or agency; appearance; phenomenon. [Obs.]
Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the air.
Milton.
A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven.
Holland.
4. Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence, interest, concern.
Reid.
His words impression left.
Milton.
Such terrible impression made the dream.
Shak.
I have a father's dear impression,
And wish, before I fall into my grave,
That I might see her married.
Ford.
5. An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief.
6. Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery.
Which must be read with an impression.
Milton.
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.
Ten impressions which his books have had.
Dryden.
8. In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in house painting and the like. [R.]
9. Engraving A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, or the like.
Proof impression, one of the early impressions taken from an engraving, before the plate or block is worn.
© Webster 1913. | 
