Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Necessary or urgent: synonym: urgent.
- adjective Expressing a command or plea; peremptory.
- adjective Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting the mood that expresses a command or request.
- noun A rule, principle, or need that requires or compels certain action.
- noun A command; an order.
- noun The imperative mood.
- noun A verb form of the imperative mood.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Expressing command; containing positive command; peremptory; absolute: as, imperative orders.
- Not to be avoided or evaded; that must be attended to or performed; obligatory; binding: as, an imperative duty or necessity.
- noun In grammar, a mode or verbal form which expresses command, entreaty, advice, or exhortation.
- noun In philosophy, a deliverance of conscience; a monition of the moral sense.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Expressive of command; containing positive command; authoritatively or absolutely directive; commanding; authoritative.
- adjective Not to be avoided or evaded; obligatory; binding; compulsory.
- adjective (Gram.) Expressive of commund, entreaty, advice, or exhortation.
- noun (Gram.) The imperative mood; also, a verb in the imperative mood.
from , Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun uncountable, grammar The
grammatical mood expressing an order (seejussive ). In English, the imperative form of a verb is the same as that of the bare infinitive. - noun countable, grammar A
verb in imperative mood. - noun countable An essential action, a
must : something which is imperative. - adjective
essential - adjective computing theory Having a
semantics that incorporatesmutable variables. - adjective grammar of, or relating to the
imperative mood
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective relating to verbs in the imperative mood
- noun some duty that is essential and urgent
- noun a mood that expresses an intention to influence the listener's behavior
- adjective requiring attention or action
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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In traditional tragedy, these are prescriptives; the imperative is absolute -- must, not should.
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In traditional tragedy, these are prescriptives; the imperative is absolute -- must, not should.
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While relieving government debt should be a medium and long term priority, addressing consumer debt is a short-term imperative.
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"We have a long-term imperative to recoꦑnnect middle-class prosperity to the growing economy."
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While relieving government debt should be a medium and long term priority, addressing consumer debt is a short-term imperative.
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"If you are Christian, your moral imperative is to be Goo⭕d in the face of Evil, to the point of m✤artyrdom if need be."
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The short-term imperative is to create jobs and grow the economy.
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If that seems a fast-fading dream, the pressing imperative is whether to keep faith with a man warmly serenaded by Leeds suppo🔜rters but barracked by his new public.
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The long-term imperative i🃏s to slow and reverse the spiraling national debt.
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If you are Christian, your moral imperative is to be 🐲Good in the face of Evil, to the point of martyrdom if need be.
pradyumnaojha commented on the word imperative
To maintain a very good health, it is imperative to avoid smoking and drinking.February 15, 2013