impart

WOTD – 24 March 2008

English

Etymology

From Middle English imparten, from Middle French impartir, empartir, from Latin impartiō, impertiō, from im- (“in”) + partiō.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɑːt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɑːɹt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)t

Verb

impart (third-person singular simple present imparts, present participle imparting, simple past and past participle imparted)

1. To give a part or share.

   to impart food to the poor

   The sun imparts warmth.

2. To communicate the knowledge of; to make known; to show by words or tokens; to tell; to disclose.
   • John Dryden (1631-1700)

     Well may he then to you his cares impart.

   • William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

     Gentle lady, / When I did first impart my love to you.

   • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, A Cuckoo in the Nest:

     The departure was not unduly prolonged. […] Within the door Mrs. Spoker hastily imparted to Mrs. Love a few final sentiments on the subject of Divine Intention in the disposition of buckets; farewells and last commiserations; a deep, guttural instigation to the horse; and the wheels of the waggonette crunched heavily away into obscurity.

3. To hold a conference or consultation.
4. To obtain a share of; to partake of.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Munday to this entry?)

Synonyms

• (to give a part or share): bequeath, bestow, give
• (to communicate knowledge of): disclose, tell

Translations

to give a part or share

• Dutch: delen (nl), verdelen (nl)
• German: weitergeben (de), gewähren (de)
• Italian: impartire (it)

• Korean: korean
• Romanian: împărți (ro)
• Russian: давать (ru) (davatʹ), придавать (ru) (pridavatʹ)

communicate the knowledge of

• Dutch: mededelen (nl), communiceren (nl)
• French: donner (fr), communiquer (fr), transmettre (fr)
• German: mitteilen (de), vermitteln (de), weitergeben (de)
• Kurdish:

  Sorani: ڕاگه‌یاندن

• Polish: dzielić się (pl)
• Russian: сообщать (ru) (soobščatʹ)
• Spanish: impartir

to hold a conference or consultation

• Dutch: beraadslagen (nl), vergaderen (nl)

Anagrams

• armpit
• Primat