From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Imp \Imp\ ([i^]mp), n. [OE. imp a graft, AS. impa; akin to Dan.
ympe, Sw. ymp, prob. fr. LL. impotus, Gr. ? engrafted,
innate, fr. ? to implant; ? in + ? to produce; akin to E. be.
See 1st In-, Be.]
1. A shoot; a scion; a bud; a slip; a graft. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
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2. An offspring; progeny; child; scion. [Obs.]
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The tender imp was weaned. --Fairfax.
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3. A young or inferior devil; a little, malignant spirit; a
puny demon; a contemptible evil worker.
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To mingle in the clamorous fray
Of squabbling imps. --Beattie.
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4. Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen
it out or repair it, -- as, an addition to a beehive; a
feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; a length of
twisted hair in a fishing line. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Imp \Imp\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imped; p. pr. & vb. n.
Imping.] [AS. impian to imp, ingraft, plant; akin to Dan.
ympe, Sw. ympa, OHG. impf[=o]n, impit[=o]n, G. impfen. See
Imp, n.]
1. To graft; to insert as a scion. [Obs.] --Rom. of R.
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2. (Falconry) To graft with new feathers, as a wing; to
splice a broken feather. Hence, [Fig.]: To repair; to
extend; to increase; to strengthen; to equip. [Archaic]
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Imp out our drooping country's broken wing. --Shak.
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Who lazily imp their wings with other men's plumes.
--Fuller.
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Here no frail Muse shall imp her crippled wing.
--Holmes.
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Help, ye tart satirists, to imp my rage
With all the scorpions that should whip this age.
--Cleveland.
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