IMP

elf, hob, gremlin, pixie, pixy, brownie, imp

(noun) (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous

imp, scamp, monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag

(noun) one who is playfully mischievous

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Noun

IMP (uncountable)

(biochemistry) Initialism of inosine monophosphate.

(protein) Initialism of integral membrane protein.

Anagrams

• IPM, MIP, MPI, PIM, PMI

Etymology

Noun

imp (plural imps)

A young or inferior devil; a malevolent supernatural creature, similar to a demon but smaller and less powerful. [from 16th c.]

A mischievous child. [from 17th c.]

A baby Tasmanian devil.

(obsolete) A young shoot of a plant, tree etc. [9th–17th c.]

(obsolete) A scion, offspring; a child. [15th–19th c.]

(UK, dialect, obsolete) Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen it out or repair it, such as an addition to a beehive; a feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; or a length of twisted hair in a fishing line.

Synonyms

• (mischievous child) brat, urchin, little dickens

Verb

imp (third-person singular simple present imps, present participle imping, simple past and past participle imped)

(obsolete) To plant or engraft.

(archaic) To graft, implant; to set or fix.

(falconry) To engraft (feathers) into a bird's wing.

To eke out, strengthen, enlarge.

Anagrams

• IPM, MIP, MPI, PIM, PMI

Source: Wiktionary

Imp, n. Etym: [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. be. See 1st In-, Be.]

1. A shoot; a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. An offspring; progeny; child; scion. [Obs.] The tender imp was weaned. Fairfax.

3. A young or inferior devil; a little, malignant spirit; a puny demon; a contemptible evil worker. To mingle in the clamorous fray Of squabbling imps. Beattie.

4. Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen it out or repair it, -- as, an addition to a beehive; a feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; a length of twisted hair in a fishing line. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Imp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imped; p. pr. & vb. n. Imping.] Etym: [AS. impian to imp, ingraft, plant; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ympa, OHG. impfon, impiton, G. impfen. See Imp, n.]

1. To graft; to insert as a scion. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

2. (Falconry)

Definition: To graft with new feathers, as a wing; to splice a broken feather. Hence, Fig.: To repair; to extend; to increase; to strengthen to equip. [Archaic] Imp out our drooping country's broken wing. Shak. Who lazily imp their wings with other men's plumes. Fuller. Here no frail Muse shall imp her crippled wing. Holmes. Help, ye tart satirists, to imp my rage With all the scorpions that should whip this age. Cleveland.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition