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the act of the mind by which objects of sense are apprehended and retained as objects of thought. The whole mass of residua which have been accumulated . . . all enter now into the process of ideation. J. D. Morell.

deas, rather than the result of distinct volitional efforts, as the act of expressing the thoughts in speech, or in writing, while the mind is occupied in the composition of the sentence. Carpenter.

y an idea. Ideograms may be defined to be pictures intended to represent either things or thoughts. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). You might even have a history without language written or spoken, by means of ideograms and gesture. J. Peile.

idioms fix our doubtful speech. Prior. Sometimes we identify the words with the object -- though be courtesy of idiom rather than in strict propriety of language. Coleridge. Every good writer has much idiom. Landor. It is not by means of rules that such idioms as the following are made current: "I can make nothing of i…

Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren. "Deserts idle." Shak. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36. Down their idle weapons dropped. Milton. This idle story became important. Macaulay.

rustic life, of pastoral scenes, and the like. [Written also idyll.] Wordsworth's solemn-thoughted idyl. Mrs. Browning. His [Goldsmith's] lovely idyl of the Vicar's home. F. Harrison.

inding it a true bill. The phrase now used is, "No bill," "No true bill," or "Not found," though in some jurisdictions "Ignored" is still used. Wharton (Law Dict. ). Burn.

oints, lines, surfaces, etc. (Geom.), points, lines, surfaces, etc., imagined to exist, although by reason of certain changes of a figure they have in fact ceased to have a real existence.

To manacle; to fetter; hence; to confine; to restrain from free action. Although this corporal rind Thou hast immanacled. Milton.

The state or quality of being immeasurable. Eternity and immeasurableness belong to thought alone. F. W. Robertson.

ctures, etc. Immodest deeds you hinder to be wrought, But we proscribe the least immodest thought. Dryden.

ion. "Impassible to the critic." Sir W. Scott. Secure of death, I should contemn thy dart Though naked, and impassible depart. Dryden.

Not persevering; fickle; thoughtless. [Obs.]

is implied, but not expressed; an inference, or something which may fairly be understood, though not expressed in words. Whatever things, therefore, it was asserted that the king might do, it was a necessary implication that there were other things which he could not do. Hallam.

Tacitly comprised; fairly to be understood, though not expressed in words; implied; as, an implicit contract or agreement. South.

An impossible thing; that which can not be thought, done, or endured. Impossibilities! O, no, there's none. Cowley.

nse, as applied to a person or thing that is difficult to control or get along with. This though, impracticable heart Is governed by a dainty-fingered girl. Rowe. Patriotic butloyal men went away disguested afresh with the impracticable arrogance of a sovereign. Palfrey.

To be impressed; to rest. [Obs.] Such fiendly thoughts in his heart impress. Chaucer.

A piece composed or played at first thought; a composition in the style of an extempore piece.

t; not becoming; incongruous; inappropriate; indecent; as, an improper medicine; improper thought, behavior, language, dress. Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service, Improper for a slave. Shak. And to their proper operation still, Ascribe all Good; to their improper, Ill. Pope.