imposition
/ˌɪmpəˈzɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪmpəˈzɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌim-pə-ˈzi-shən/ (ame, mw)
imposition — noun
1. a situation where someone asks you to do something difficult or unfair, making y
a situation where someone asks you to do something difficult or unfair, making you feel that your own time or needs are being ignored
Staying with relatives for a whole month felt like an imposition, so Emeka and Yuki booked a hotel instead.
felt like an imposition — burden on others
When Samir asked Chitra to cover his night shift for the third time, she told him it was too much of an imposition.
too much of an imposition — excessive request
Diego felt bad asking Wei for a ride to the airport because he did not want it to seem like an imposition.
Lucia knew that asking her elderly neighbour to walk her dog every day would be a real imposition.
Minh hesitated to request a day off so soon after starting the job, worried it would be seen as an imposition.
- burden
more general; a burden can be any heavy responsibility, not necessarily a request
- inconvenience
milder than imposition; focuses on trouble caused rather than unfairness
- hassle
informal; suggests annoyance more than unfairness
- favour
a kind act done willingly, the opposite of an unwanted demand
文法句型
an imposition on + noun phrase
too much of an imposition
用法筆記
Often used in polite expressions to show that a request may cause inconvenience — for example, 'I hope this is not an imposition.' In these contexts it is usually singular.
常見錯誤
2. the official act of making people accept and follow a new law, rule, tax, or sys
the official act of making people accept and follow a new law, rule, tax, or system, often one they do not want
The imposition of a 10% tax on sugary drinks led to fierce debate among health experts and manufacturers.
imposition of [tax] — official introduction
After the imposition of strict new traffic rules, accidents in the city dropped by nearly half.
Many residents held street protests against the government’s imposition of a curfew during the crisis.
The imposition of higher entrance fees at the national park caused a sharp drop in the number of visitors.
Teachers complained about the sudden imposition of a new grading system with no training or warning.
- enforcement
emphasises making sure a rule is obeyed, rather than the initial act of introducing it
- enactment
formal; specifically about turning a proposal into law through an official process
- introduction
neutral; does not carry the negative sense of forcing something on people
- removal
taking away a rule or system that was previously imposed
- revocation
formal; the official cancellation of a law or rule
文法句型
the imposition of + noun phrase
imposition by + authority
用法筆記
Common in news and political writing. The subject doing the imposing is typically an authority such as a government, company, or institution. The thing imposed is usually unwelcome.