Imply

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: im=ply

CIDE DICTIONARY

Imply, v. t. [From the same source as employ. See Employ, Ply, and cf. Implicate, Apply.].

•  To infold or involve; to wrap up.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]
•  To involve in substance or essence, or by fair inference, or by construction of law, when not include virtually; as, war implies fighting.  [1913 Webster]

  "Where a malicious act is proved, a malicious intention is implied."  [1913 Webster]

  "When a man employs a laborer to work for him, . . . the act of hiring implies an obligation and a promise that he shall pay him a reasonable reward for his services."  [1913 Webster]
•  To refer, ascribe, or attribute.  [1913 Webster]

  "Whence might this distaste arise?"  [1913 Webster]

  "If [from] neither your perverse and peevish will.
  To which I most imply it."

Syn. -- To involve; include; comprise; import; mean; denote; signify; betoken. See Involve.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Imply, v.tr. (-ies, -ied)
1 (often foll. by that + clause) strongly suggest the truth or existence of (a thing not expressly asserted).
2 insinuate, hint (what are you implying?).
3 signify.

Derivative

implied adj. impliedly adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF emplier f. L implicare (as IMPLICATE)

THESAURUS

Imply

accuse, adumbrate, advert to, affect, allege, allegorize, allude to, approve, argue, arraign, article, assume, attest, be construed as, bespeak, betoken, bid fair, book, breathe, bring, bring accusation, bring charges, bring to book, bring to mind, call for, charge, cite, complain, comprise, connote, contain, demonstrate, denote, denounce, denunciate, display, drop a hint, entail, evidence, evince, exhibit, express, fasten on, fasten upon, finger, furnish evidence, give a hint, give indication of, give prospect of, give the cue, glance at, go to show, hang something on, hint, hint at, hold out hope, illustrate, impeach, implicate, import, impute, include, indicate, indict, infer, inform against, inform on, insinuate, intimate, involve, lay charges, lead to, lodge a complaint, lodge a plaint, make fair promise, make likely, manifest, mark, mean, mean to say, pin on, point indirectly to, point to, prefer charges, press charges, presume, presuppose, promise, prompt, put on report, raise expectation, refer to, report, reproach, require, set forth, show, show signs of, signal, signalize, signify, speak for itself, speak volumes, spell, stand fair to, stand for, subsume, suggest, suppose, symbolize, symptomatize, take, take for granted, take in, take to task, task, taunt with, tax, tell, tend to show, twit

ROGET THESAURUS

Imply

Evidence

VB be evidence, evince, show, betoken, tell of, indicate, imply, involve, argue, bespeak, breathe, have weight, carry weight, tell, speak volumes, speak for itself, rest upon, depend upon, repose on, bear witness, give evidence, testify, depose, witness, vouch for, sign, seal, undersign, set one's hand and seal, sign and seal, deliver as one's act and deed, certify, attest, acknowledge, make absolute, confirm, prove (demonstrate), indorse, countersign, corroborate, support, ratify, bear out, uphold, warrant, adduce, attest, cite, quote, refer to, appeal to, call, call to witness, bring forward, bring into court, allege, plead, produce witnesses, confront witnesses, place into evidence, mark into evidence, collect evidence, bring together evidence, rake up evidence, experiment, have a case, make out a case, establish, authenticate, substantiate, verify, make good, quote chapter and verse, bring home to, bring to book.

Probability

VB be probable, give color to, lend color to, point to, imply, bid fair, stand fair for, stand a good chance, run a good chance, think likely, dare say, flatter oneself, expect, count upon.

Meaning

VB mean, signify, express, import, purport, convey, imply, breathe, indicate, bespeak, bear a sense, tell of, speak of, touch on, point to, allude to, drive at, involve, declare, understand by.

Implication

VB be latent, lurk, smolder, underlie, make no sign, escape observation, escape detection, escape recognition, lie hid, laugh in one's sleeve, keep back, involve, imply, understand, allude to, infer, leave an inference, entail, whisper, read between the lines.