imply, v.
(ɪmˈplaɪ)
Forms: α. 4 enpliȝe, 6 emplie, -plye. β. 4 inpliȝe, 5 ymplie, 4–7 implie, -plye, 6– imply. γ. 6–7 imploy, 6 employ: see employ v. (sense 5).
[a. OF. emplie-r:—L. implicāre to infold, involve, f. im- (im-1) + plicāre to fold; with subseq. substitution of the L. form of the prefix. The OF. vb. was orig. inflected, according to position of the stress: inf. empliˈer, pres. ind. emˈpleie, emˈpleies, emˈpleiet, empliˈons, empliˈez, emˈpleient, imperative emˈpleie, empliˈez; whence, by levelling, arose the two variant forms (1) emplier, and (2) empleier, later emploier, employer. Of these, mod.F. retains only the latter, while Eng. has imply from OF., and employ from later 15th c. F. Imply retained the classical L. sense of implicare, from which sense 2 appears to be a strictly English development; but instances of exchange between imply and employ are not infrequent in 16–17th c. (See sense 4 below, and employ v. 5.)]
† 1. trans. To enfold, enwrap, entangle, involve: in lit. and fig. senses. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. met. i. 117 (Camb. MS.) The wateres I-medlyd wrappith or implieth many fortunel happis. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 270 Ȝif a prelate implie him wiþ seculer nedis. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 3 Hatyng to be enpliȝed wiþ seculer bisines. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xxviii. 97 Wherto wrappist þou & ympliest þiself? Ibid. xxix. 98 Implie þe not wiþ þinges þat are not committed to þe. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 31 An hatefull Snake, the which his taile uptyes In many folds, and mortall sting implyes. Ibid. vi. 6 Phœbus..His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes. c 1611 Chapman Iliad vi. 315 Lovely Theano took the veil, and with it she implies The great Palladium. 1823 Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Pref., If it be egotism to imply and twine with his own identity the griefs and affections of another [etc.]. |
2. To involve or comprise as a necessary logical consequence; to involve the truth or existence of (something not expressly asserted or maintained).
| 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 127/2 Two such thinges as imply contradiction. a 1557 M. Basset tr. More On the Passion ibid. 1363/1 Y⊇ thing as y⊇ principal point y{supt} briefly emplyeth al the rest. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. iii. (1588) 135 This ‘Assault’ doth not alwayes necessarily emplie a hitting. 1620 Granger Div. Logike 344 That axiome, is false which is inconsistent..or agreeth not with it selfe, but implieth a contradiction in it. 1653 Walton Angler i. 13 In Job..mention is made of fish-hooks, which must imply Anglers in those times. 1789 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 127 There are situations in which despair does not imply inactivity. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. I. xvi, Often where no commendation is expressly given, it is distinctly implied. |
b. With substantive clause as object.
| 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 498 The Resurrection of the same Body doth not necessarily imply that all the same Matter shall be raised. 1876 Gladstone Homeric Synchr. 162 The text of the Poems implies that Sidon was the great and leading city. |
c. Of a word of name: To involve by signification or import; to signify, import, mean.
| c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon §88 (1810) 85 Villa implieth a court house, or chief place in the lord's manor. 1660 Willsford Scales Comm. 21 This trading..is called Barter, derived from Barato, implying an exchange of commodities. 1737 [S. Berington] G. di Lucca's Mem. 126 Like a true Father of his People, which the Name..implies. |
† d. To signify as much as, to be equivalent to.
| 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 151 The horses feed usually of barley and chopt-straw put into a bag, and fastned about their heads, which implyes their manger. |
† e. ? To mean or intend for. Obs.
| 1663 Cowley Verses sev. Occas., Ode Harvey iii, From all the Souls that living Buildings rear, Whether imply'd for Earth, or Sea, or Air,..A strict Account to him is hourly brought. |
3. To express indirectly; to insinuate, hint at.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 36 He that forebyddeth a thyng to be done in after tyme, doth hee not covertly emplye that the same was done before? 1593 Drayton Eclogues i. 27 Whose wondrous workes thy Essence doe imply. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. Pref., The reasons thereof are not formally..set downe, because to him that heeds attentively..they easily imply themselves. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) II. ii. v. 49 His figure implies the stupidity of his disposition. 1849 Lytton Caxtons iii, Dimly implying some sort of jest, which he kept all to himself. 1870 Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 2) I. App. 636 It is not directly asserted, but it seems to be implied. Mod. What do you mean to imply? |
† 4. = employ v. Obs.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Ee vj b, To leaue theyr riches to theyr vicious chyldren yl implied. 1658–9 E. Bodvile in Hatton Corr. (Camden) 17 A mach which your Mother has implied a frind..about for you. |
¶ 5. † a. = apply v. 5. Obs.
| a 1625 Boys Wks. (1629) 264 That tenant deserues to be thrust out of house and home..that implieth all the best roomes vnto the basest offices. |
† b. To ascribe, attribute: = apply v. 11. Obs.
| a 1655 Webster & Rowley Cure for Cuckold i. i, Whence might this distaste arise?..Is it..your perverse and peevish will, To which I most imply it? |