"Madam," quoth he, "this were an impossible!"
Chaucer.
Im*pos"si*bly, adv. Not possibly. Sir. T. North.
Im"post (?), n. [OF. impost, F. impot, LL. impostus, fr. L. impostus,
p. p. of imponere to impose. See Impone.] 1. That which is imposed or
levied; a tax, tribute, or duty; especially, a duty or tax laid by
goverment on goods imported into a country.
Even the ship money . . . Johnson could not pronounce to have been
an unconstitutional impost.
Macaulay.
2. (Arch.) The top member of a pillar, pier, wall, etc., upon which the
weight of an arch rests.
The impost is called continuous, if the moldings of the arch or
architrave run down the jamb or pier without a break.
Syn. -- Tribute; excise; custom; duty; tax.
Im*post"hu*mate (?), v. t. [See Imposthume.] To apostemate; to form an
imposthume or abscess. Arbuthnot.
Im*post"hu*mate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imposthumated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Imposthumating (?).] To affect with an imposthume or abscess.
Im*post"hu*mate (?), a. Imposthumated.
Im*post`hu*ma"tion (?), n. 1. The act of forming an abscess; state of
being inflamed; suppuration.