imply
/ɪmˈplaɪ/ verb, noun
Forms implies implying implied impliest impliedst implieth IMPLYs
- verb (transitive, of a proposition) To have as a necessary consequence; to lead to (something) as a consequence. “Correlation does not imply causation”
- verb (transitive, of a person) To suggest by logical inference. “When I state that your dog is brown, I am not implying that all dogs are brown.”
- verb (transitive, of a person or proposition) To hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement. “What do you mean "we need to be more careful with hygiene"? Are you implying that I don't wash my hands?”
- verb (archaic) To enfold, entangle.
- noun (logic) A logic gate that implements material implication.
Synonyms
entail implicate import allude hint infer insinuate suggest advert indicate inkle intimate moot refer signify envelop wrap up ensnare enmesh ensnarl connote mean incriminate inculpate involve
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English implien, emplien, borrowed from Old French emplier, from Latin implicare (“to infold, involve”), from in (“in”) + plicare (“to fold”). Doublet of employ and implicate.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To infold or involve; to wrap up. [Obs.] "His head in curls implied." Chapman.
- verb To involve in substance or essence, or by fair inference, or by construction of law, when not include virtually; as, war implies fighting.
Etymology [From the same source as employ. See Employ, Ply, and cf. Implicate, Apply.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “imply”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details