imply, connote
(verb) express or state indirectly
imply
(verb) suggest as a logically necessary consequence; in logic
entail, imply, mean
(verb) have as a logical consequence; “The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers”
imply, involve
(verb) have as a necessary feature; “This decision involves many changes”
incriminate, imply, inculpate
(verb) suggest that someone is guilty
Source: WordNet® 3.1
imply (third-person singular simple present implies, present participle implying, simple past and past participle implied)
(transitive, of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence
(transitive, of a person) to suggest by logical inference
(transitive, of a person or proposition) to hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement
(archaic) to enfold, entangle.
• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See English catenative verbs
• (to have as a necessary consequence): entail
• (to suggest tacitly): allude, hint, insinuate, suggest
Source: Wiktionary
Im*ply", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Implied; p. pr. & vb. n. Implying.] Etym: [From the same source as employ. See Employ, Ply, and cf. Implicate, Apply.]
1. To infold or involve; to wrap up. [Obs.] "His head in curls implied." Chapman.
2. To involve in substance or essence, or by fair inference, or by construction of law, when not include virtually; as, war implies fighting. Where a mulicious act is proved, a mulicious intention is implied. Bp. Sherlock. When a man employs a laborer to work for him, . . . the act of hiring implies an obligation and a promise that he shall pay him a reasonable reward for his services. Blackstone.
3. To refer, ascribe, or attribute. [Obs.] Whence might this distaste arise If [from] neither your perverse and peevish will. To which I most imply it. J. Webster.
Syn.
– To involve; include; comprise; import; mean; denote; signify; betoken. See Involve.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
27 May 2025
(noun) the property of being directional or maintaining a direction; “the directionality of written English is from left to right”
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
