The word that we consider today, we hear less and less every year. However, it does exist and is worth discussing. The adjective “imposing” is what we will devote time to. After all, one should not miss the opportunity to learn something new, especially when it is well forgotten old.
Origin
Of course, one cannot separate one from the other here. But when we hear the word, it seems to us a well-fed, well-fed fat cat. But let's not hide: we have at least an intuitive understanding of the word “imposing”. At the same time, we did not open the explanatory dictionary so as not to violate the purity of the experiment. In any case, we will start not from him, but from the etymological dictionary.
The source says that there was such a noun "valiaga", it meant "laziness." Hence the meaning of the word “imposing” - “overweight, fat, clumsy, important”. It is noteworthy that adjectives not too flattering in the physical sense are on a par with the sacrament. Apparently, importance was never revered among the people.
It is known that in England any attempt to play a trick immediately ridiculed with the phrase: "Let it be to you." We, of course, do not have England, but all the same, truly Christian values are on guard and make sure that no one is particularly asked.
Explanatory dictionary
It was time to learn the modern meaning of the word “imposing”: “full of dignity and grandeur, of pleasant importance” (outdated and ironic). Here the meaning of the word and its notes come into conflict: either dignity from scratch, or good looks in the future can be expensive.
In colloquial speech, “imposing” is slow, sedate. Ironic meaning may or may not be present, depending on the situation. But experience says that impossibility is remembered when the slowness of a person was worth something.
Question of build
But let us leave the question of meaning for now and turn to more interesting things. For example, to the question of whether a thin person can be imposing, is this even possible? Now an adjective or adverb can be heard as a synonym for slowness, or degree, or importance. Moreover, modern people do not particularly think, and in an effort to flaunt a remarkable word, they forget about the historical context. And the latter claims that imposing is the prerogative of a well-fed person, not without reason that the etymological dictionary indicates exactly the series given a little higher.
The reader may object to this, that you never know what were the realities before. Language changes all the time, and words are saturated with a different meaning and universalized. We agree with everything, but here is the question of the correct use in detail. And the rest, yes, that's right, you can and so.
Synonyms for adverb and adjective
In order to properly understand the meaning of “impressive”, you need to choose synonyms for it. Since the adverb has no independent meaning from the point of view of the dictionary, it is attached in this sense to the adjective, we have already completed part of the work. The final chord is a replacement for the adverb, let's move on to them:
- solid;
- impressive;
- impressive;
- stately;
- representatively.
The list does not contain the whole truth. Because there were definitions in the dictionary that spoke of the arrogance of one who behaves imposingly. But we leave the negative sides of the word as the reader’s homework.
Although it clearly follows from the previous story that if you want to praise a person, you should not call him imposing, this can be understood in two ways and will create an awkward situation. But the reader will probably figure out how to deal with the wealth that fell into his hands, where to use and where not. The latter is called linguistic practice. Without it, no word can be fully understood. On this, let me take my leave and wish you all the best. Love the language, and it will reciprocate.