Definition: To establish or apply by authority.
Alright class, settle down, let’s take a look! You’ve got the dictionary definition – “to establish or apply by authority” – and that’s a good start. But let’s unpack that a little bit, shall we? “Impose” means to force something upon someone, or to make it happen whether they like it or not. It's about putting something in place, often with a sense of command or obligation. Think of it this way: Imagine you’re building a sandcastle, and your friend insists on adding a tiny plastic boat – you are imposing that boat onto their creation! You’re making it happen, regardless of whether they wanted it there. Here are some ways we might see “impose” used in sentences: "The new rules were imposed by the school board." (They made them, no question!) “He tried to impose his opinion on the discussion.” (He pushed his view onto everyone else.) “Don't impose your schedule on me!” (Don’t force your plans onto my time.) Do you want to try a little example sentence together? Or perhaps we can think of some scenarios where ‘impose’ might be used?