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imperfect
imperfect definition
im·per·fect (im pʉr′fikt)
adjective
- not finished or complete; lacking in something
- not perfect; having a defect, fault, or error
- Gram. in certain inflected languages, designating or of the tense of a verb that indicates a past action or state as uncompleted, continuous, customary, or going on at the same time as another: “was writing” and “used to write” are English forms corresponding to the imperfect tense in such languages
- Music designating an interval of a major or minor third or sixth
Etymology: ME inperfit < OFr imparfit < L imperfectus: see in- & perfect
noun
- the imperfect tense
- a verb in this tense
Related Forms:
- imperfectly im·per′·fectly adverb
- imperfectness im·per′·fect·ness noun
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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