imply
pronunciation
How to pronounce imply in British English: UK [ɪmˈplaɪ]
How to pronounce imply in American English: US [ɪmˈplaɪ]
-
- Verb:
- express or state indirectly
- suggest as a logically necessary consequence; in logic
- have as a logical consequence
- suggest that someone is guilty
- have as a necessary feature or consequence; entail
Word Origin
- imply
- imply: see employ
- imply (v.)
- late 14c., "to enfold, enwrap, entangle" (the classical Latin sense), from Old French emplier, from Latin implicare "involve" (see implication). Meaning "to involve something unstated as a logical consequence" first recorded c. 1400; that of "to hint at" from 1580s. Related: Implied; implying. The distinction between imply and infer is in "What do you imply by that remark?" But, "What am I to infer from that remark?"
Example
- 1. This need not imply total failure for the fed .
- 2. But that does not imply he held such convictions .
- 3. Now what do these two observations imply ?
- 4. This is often taken to imply that fed policy is far from ideal .
- 5. Consider what these numbers imply .