impart, v.
(ɪmˈpɑːt)
Also 5–6 in-, 5–7 imparte, 6–7 empart, 7 impert.
[a. OF. em-, impartir (14th c. in Godef.), ad. L. impartīre (usu. impert-) to share, communicate, bestow, f. im- (im-1) + partīre to part.]
1. trans. To give a part or share of; to make another a partaker of; to bestow, give, communicate. (Usually (now only) with immaterial object, e.g. a condition, quality, etc.)
| c 1477 Caxton Jason 139 But if [= unless] the goddes imparte to us of their grace we ben in grete daunger of our lyues. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 89 Thee stars imparted no light. 1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. iii. i, Please you..sir, to impart some ten groats, or half a crown to our use. 1609 Bible (Douay) Exod. vii. Comm., God doth not indurate by imperting malice, but by not imperting mercie. 1630 Prynne Anti-Armin. 137 If there be such a freedome of will..imparted vnto all men. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters I. 111 To the different solvents, it imparts different colors. 1858 Holland Titcomb's Lett. viii. 77 You are worth to society the happiness you are capable of imparting. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 194 In a short time they can impart their skill to any one. |
b. absol.
| 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. ad. fin, Did not Minos impart? Cris. Yes, here are twenty drachms he did convey. 1611 Bible Luke iii. 11 He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none. 1853 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. xxi. 271 Let the rich impart to those who are not rich. |
† c. intr. (with with). To part with. Obs. rare.
| 1606 G. W[oodcocke] tr. Hist. Justin 136 a, They impart with many thousands of their store into Italy. |
2. To communicate as knowledge or information; to make known, tell, relate. Const. to, formerly sometimes with (a person). arch. (or merged in 1).
| a 1547 Surrey Prisoner in Windsor in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 14 The secrete thoughtes imparted with such trust. 1571 Digges Pantom. i. xxi. G ij a, I minde to imparte with my countrey men some suche secretes. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 256 When I did first impart my loue to you. 1656–9 B. Harris Parival's Iron Age (ed. 2) 264 The Embassadours.. imparted the news to their friends. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 58 ¶2, I..shall from Time to Time impart my Notions of Comedy. 1831 Brewster Newton (1855) II. xiv. 14 It does not appear that Newton imparted any of these methods to his mathematical friends. |
† b. refl. To make known one's mind; to hold communication. Obs.
| 1625 Bacon Ess., Counsel (Arb.) 321 King Henry the Seuenth..imparted himselfe to none, except it were to Morton and Fox. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. vi. §245 Imparting himself equally to all Men. 1653 H. More Antid. Ath. iii. xiv. (1712) 132 This holy man that so freely imparted himself to Bodinus. |
† 3. To give a share of (something) to each of a number of persons; to distribute, divide, deal out.
| 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. iv. (R.), It behoueth vs..(as saith Paul) diuyde trwely & imparte the worde of God to other. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. xiii. 32 b, He imparted to his kinred, and diuided amongest them all his Lordships. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. iv, Thou shalt impart the Wine, old Boy. |
† 4. To have or get a share of; to share, partake.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 399 Yet ought not this power be..emparted also with other Ministers in such wise. a 1639 Webster Appius & Virg. v. iii, Grieves it thee To impart my sad disaster? 1655 Heywood & Rowley Fortune by Land iii. H.'s Wks. 1874 VI. 398, I am likely to impart his losse. |
† b. intr. To share, take part, or partake in.
| 1471 Arriv. Edw. IV (Camden) 8 Thos that wowlde uttarly inparte with hym at beste and worste in his qwarell. 1615 Heywood Foure Prentises i. Wks. 1874 IV. 194 You offer wrong to impart in this my loue. |
¶ See quot.
| 1530 Palsgr. 591/2, I inparte (Lydgate), I myxte thynges, I take parte of one and parte of another, je mesle ensemble, je prens part dung et part dualtre. [The reference to Lydgate has not been verified.] |
Hence imˈparted ppl. a., imˈparting vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1611 Cotgr., Communication..also, a participation, imparting, or making common a thing with others. 1653 T. Horton Wisdome's Judgm. Folly 59 Those whom God hath furnished with Estates..should be so much the more imparting of them. 1848 R. I. Wilberforce Incarnat. our Lord xiv. (1852) 385 That holiness which is perfect must be the imparted holiness of Christ. 1952 Mind LXI. 309 Lying..is the deliberate imparting of false information in order to deceive. |