Imitate
['ɪmɪteɪt] or ['ɪmɪtet]
Definition
(verb.) make a reproduction or copy of.
(verb.) reproduce someone's behavior or looks; 'The mime imitated the passers-by'; 'Children often copy their parents or older siblings'.
(verb.) appear like, as in behavior or appearance; 'Life imitate art'.
Edited by Estelle--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To follow as a pattern, model, or example; to copy or strive to copy, in acts, manners etc.
(v. t.) To produce a semblance or likeness of, in form, character, color, qualities, conduct, manners, and the like; to counterfeit; to copy.
(v. t.) To resemble (another species of animal, or a plant, or inanimate object) in form, color, ornamentation, or instinctive habits, so as to derive an advantage thereby; sa, when a harmless snake imitates a venomous one in color and manner, or when an odorless insect imitates, in color, one having secretion offensive to birds.
Inputed by Anna
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Copy, follow, pattern after.[2]. Mimic, ape, mock, personate, impersonate, take off.[3]. Parody, travesty, turn into burlesque.
Typist: Melville
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Represent, copy, resemble, follow, portray, depict, repeat, pattern_after,mock, ape, counterfeit, mimic
ANT:Misrepresent, caricature, alter, vary, dissimilate, differentiate, modify,remodel, distort
Checker: Terrance
Definition
v.t. to copy to strive to be the same as: to produce a likeness of.—n. Imitabil′ity.—adj. Im′itable that may be imitated or copied: worthy of imitation.—n. Im′itancy the tendency to imitate.—adj. Im′itant.—n. Imitā′tion act of imitating: that which is produced as a copy a likeness: (mus.) the repeating of the same passage or the following of a passage with a similar one in one or more of the other parts or voices.—adj. Im′itātive inclined to imitate: formed after a model.—adv. Im′itātively.—ns. Im′itātiveness the quality of being imitative; Im′itātor one who imitates or copies.
Checked by Erwin
Examples
- The young would imitate their elders in this task. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- For the object of democracy is not to imitate the rhythm of the stars but to harness political power to the nation's need. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- And this is equally true of imitation; no one man can imitate many things as well as he would imitate a single one? Plato. The Republic.
- Naturally enough what he tried to do was to imitate the action of the hand in sewing. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- I allude to the wonderful manner in which certain butterflies imitate, as first described by Mr. Bates, other and quite distinct species. Charles Darwin. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
- According to this theory, social control of individuals rests upon the instinctive tendency of individuals to imitate or copy the actions of others. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Endeavouring to imitate the voice of an old duenna, Argyle begged to know who was at the door. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- Can a man help imitating that with which he holds reverential converse? Plato. The Republic.
- Ellsworth possessed in a remarkable degree the skill of imitating these peculiarities, and thus he deceived the Union operators easily. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- The reasoning is perilously like that of the gifted lady amateur who expects to achieve greatness by imitating the paint box and palette, oils and canvases of an artist. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- Looked at from without, they might be said to be engaged in imitating one another. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Then he said, It's not respectful, sir, of you younkers to be imitating of your relations. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- I don't k-n-o-w t-h-a-t, I rejoined, imitating Meyler. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- So, then, said Eliza, imitating the motion,--and I must stamp, and take long steps, and try to look saucy. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- He gave me a lesson: I diligently imitated. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- He imitated the action of a man's being impelled forward by the butt-ends of muskets. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- Here Mr. Muzzle, who had a great notion of his eloquence, in which he imitated his master, paused for a reply. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- The institution soon manifested its utility; was imitated by other towns and in other provinces. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- He imitated it, evidently from the direction of a letter, and asked me what it meant. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- I had had no intercourse with the world at that time, and I imitated none of its many inhabitants who act in this manner. Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
- Such a character of God, if not ridiculed by our young men, is likely to be imitated by them. Plato. The Republic.
- And he imitates the means because he wishes, on his own behalf, as part of his own initiative, to take an effective part in the game. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- It always seems curious to watch the satisfaction of some reform magazines when China or Turkey or Persia imitates the constitutional forms of Western democracies. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- If he closely imitates the narratives which he has before rendered successful, he is doomed to wonder that they please no more. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- He imitates the means of doing, not the end or thing to be done. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Thus far then we are pretty well agreed that the imitator has no knowledge worth mentioning of what he imitates. Plato. The Republic.
- The mockers and mocked always inhabit the same region; we never find an imitator living remote from the form which it imitates. Charles Darwin. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
- The painter imitates not the original bed, but the bed made by the carpenter. Plato. The Republic.
Inputed by Giles