im bro glio /im'brauliau; NAmE im'brouliou/ noun (pi. -os) (formal) a complicated situation that causes confu­sion or embarrassment, especially one that is political

(         ) SUa,

imbue /im'bju:/ verb [VN] [often passive] ~ sb/sth (with sth) (formal) to fill sb/sth with strong feelings, opinions or values       mm, $£(#£»»,

H771 infuse : Her voice was imbued with an unusual seriousness.     o

He was imbued with a desire for social justice,  If

IMF /,ai em 'ef/ abbr. International Monetary Fund. The IMF is an organization within the United Nations which is concerned with trade and economic development. H]

i                   m&mmm,  \

imi tate /'imiteit/ verb [VN] 1 to copy sb/sth

: Her style of painting has been imitated by other artists. Jfc W t&m A^Ml o Art imitates

Nature. ^AJi/tAi$£W#jrl!jo 0 Teachers provide a model for children to imitate.    0

No computer can imitate the complex functions of the human brain.       WS&lflfio

2                  to copy the way a person speaks or behaves, in order to amuse people ( ^AWAif3* it ) ; ftfiftH {fj mimic: She knew that the girls used to imitate her and laugh at her behind her back.

,      ft, m=am

imi ta tion /.imi'teijn/ noun 1 [C] a copy of sth, espe­cially sth expensive f/j $1] on ; M pb : a poor/cheap imitation of the real thing {& A W ft' M no 0 This latest production is a pale imitation of the original (= it is not nearly as good). HSrJtili W$!l    WIICI1

W&a 0 imitation leather/pearls Ait^; o note

at artificial 2 [U] the act of copying sb/sth ^ fb: A child learns to talk by imitation.

0                  Many corporate methods have been adopted by American managers in imitation of Japanese practice.

s.*aw#&,

3                  [C] an act of copying the way sb talks and behaves, especially to make people laugh    A )

WWiWlt; ( XIb )  SIS IMPERSONATION,

impression : He does an imitation of Tony Blair, life ft

imi ta tive /'imitativ; NAmE -teitiv/ adj. (formal, some­times disapproving) that copies sb/sth Hlfft W; jfj rfc'J W; {jj W: movies that encourage imitative crime ak I0J M (AIMBIP W^I/ o His work has been criticized for being imitative and shallow. f&Wftqnl&Jltif A£>^WiLfi£$lo imi ta tor /'imiteit0(r)/ noun a person or thing that copies sb/sth else  $tf&---WA (      ) : The

band’s success has inspired hundreds of would-be imi-

tators.^x^^mmTm^ffM^ikm^o

im-macu late /I'maekjalat/ adj. 1 extremely clean and tidy # £i] H W     spotless * She always looks

immaculate. & Ji ft JfH# A *f M M <> o an immaculate uniform/room ® fp W $ij JM / lk i'll 2 containing no mis­takes Ai£ W; A MAW EH2J perfect : an immacu­late performance W iH ft ► immacii’late*ly adv.: immaculately dressed AHHio the Im,maculate Con ception noun [sing] (religion %) the Christian belief that the Virgin Mary’s soul was free from original sin from the moment of her conception r, iAAS,M

^ )

im man ent /'imanant/ adj. {formal) present as a natural part of sth; present everywhere |t] A W; HI ff W; A#f

^ AAW

im ma ter ial /.ima'tiarial; NAmE -'tir-/ adj. 1 [not usually before noun] ~ (to sb/sth) not important in a particular situation A S iPgfll irrelevant : The cost is immaterial. If] A A M 1c <> 0 It is immaterial to me whether he stays or goes, ffe W A ft A A o 2 (formal) not having a physical form AW;

W: an immaterial God Afl£W±A EHH material immature /,ima'tjua(r); NAmE -'tjur; -'tor/ adj. 1 behaving in a way that is not sensible and is typical of people who are much younger ( ft A ) AJ^I&W , immature behaviour AJ&lkWftA

1019

2 not fully developed or grown A W; AWAAW% immature plants       E32 mature im-ma-

tur ity /.ima'tjuarati; NAmE -'ftor-; -'tur-/ noun [U]

im meas urable /i'me3arabl/ adj. (formal) too large, great etc. to be measured       A PH W ; A

W : to cause immeasurable harm ia JE& ^ ft IS it W im-meas-urably /-bli/ adv.: Housing standards improved immeasurably after the war.    A7KAAA

0 Stress has an immeasurably more serious effect on our lives than we realize.       W AfSiaA Wf/

pirj

im me di acy Vi'miidiasi/ noun [u] (formal) 1 the quality in sth that makes it seem as if it is happening now, close to you and is therefore important, urgent, etc. iSI; BPHfif; It® ; it fU: the immediacy of threat l&j&Wifi'&Itt 0 Newspapers lack the immediacy of television. ^ A ® W BP H 0   2 lack of delay;

speed al BP; ifiM: Our aim is immediacy of response to emergency calls. ft! W @ U M ^ &M W ft

HJ&0

im me diate o-w /Fmiidiat/ adj.

ii                  happening or done without delay iL BP W ; aE M W H33 instant : an immediate reaction/response BP Bt WS.JSZ / ©JSZ 0 to take immediate action

iii                 [usually before noun] existing now and needing urgent attention @luW; ^buW; it^JW: Our immediate concern is to help the families of those who died. ffcffJ W

o The effects of global warming, while not immediate, are potentially cata­strophic.    mm

0 The hospital says she’s out of imme­diate danger. E ® M 4fe IS T B W M l5^. 3 [only before noun] next to or very close to a particular place or time Sc i£ W ; Pft 35. W; M ^ W: in the immediate vicinity jft/EKSR 0 The prospects for the immediate future are good.       0 The director is standing on her

immediate right.       MWAit^#0 o my imme­

diate predecessor in the job (- the person who had the job just before me)       4 [only before noun]

nearest in relationship or rank (   J ) ItSiS

W, M fk W, 1l S W: The funeral was attended by her immediate family (= her parents, children, brothers and sisters) only. 0 He is

my immediate superior (= the person directly above me) in the company, A^JMJi$cWMA±t]0 5 [only before noun] having a direct effect (    ) IMjScW: The

immediate cause of death is unknown. iaJAAtrWJ^^JE HI ^ 0J o ITflTCl see effect n. im medi ate ly 0“W /I'miidiatli/ adv., conj.

m adv. 1 without delay aE BP; B, ±; BP M PTiTl at once : She answered almost immediately. M/IAaE^'JMS^To o The point of my question may not be immediately apparent.

2 (usually with prepositions ii1|f%Ai5]i=E#j) next to or very close to a particular place or time Sifi; Pfcf

i£: Turn right immediately after the church.

Wi [b| A o o the years immediately before the war Ajc fjtj titifkfsfLA 3 (usually with past participles /HsJilEli) closely and directly    Coun­

selling is being given to those most immediately affected by the tragedy. @ JttuEft m&o

s conj. (especially BrE) as soon as — - - -  ; BP M: Immedi­

ately she’d gone, I remembered her name. M R'J A TF 3%

.

im me mor ial /.ima'marrial/ adj. (formal or literary) that has existed for longer than people can remember W; MAW; A&iilZW: an immemorial tradition A o My family has lived in this area from time immemorial (- for hundreds of years). S W^I^AMA

im mense /Fmens/ adj. extremely large or great M A W; SAW BEZD enormous: There is still an immense amount of work to be done.       Wbt£#&fr

o o The benefits are immense.   AWo o a

project of immense importance