Imp (?), n. [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan. ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. engrafted, innate, fr. to implant; in + to produce; akin to E. 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.]
© Webster 1913.
Imp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Imping.] [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
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.
© Webster 1913.