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.
- noun (Gram.) The imperative mood; also, a verb in the imperative mood.
- 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.
from Wiktionary, 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.
Modality and Hamlet Hal Duncan 2010
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In traditional tragedy, these are prescriptives; the imperative is absolute -- must, not should.
Archive 2010-01-01 Hal Duncan 2010
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While relieving government debt should be a medium and long term priority, addressing consumer debt is a short-term imperative.
Rep. Hansen Clarke: Congress Is Obsessed With the Wrong Kind of Debt Rep. Hansen Clarke 2011
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"We have a long-term imperative to reconnect 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.
Rep. Hansen Clarke: Congress Is Obsessed With the Wrong Kind of Debt Rep. Hansen Clarke 2011
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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."
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The short-term imperative is to create jobs and grow the economy.
Richard Klass: The Real State of the Union Richard Klass 2011
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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 supporters but barracked by his new public.
Gordon Strachan running out of time to revive Middlesbrough's fortunes Louise Taylor at the Riverside 2010
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The long-term imperative is to slow and reverse the spiraling national debt.
Richard Klass: The Real State of the Union Richard Klass 2011
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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