impresses

IPA/ɪmˈpres/
KK[ˌɪmprˈɛsɪz]IPA/ɪmˈpres/

impresses — verb

  • impressespresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impresseses3rd person singular
  • impressesing-ing form
  • impressesedpast simple

1. to make someone feel admiration or respect toward you because of your qualities,

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to make someone feel admiration or respect toward you because of your qualities, skills, or achievements

例句

Ravindra's piano performance impressed the judges at the competition.

active voice: subject + impress + direct object

What impressed the manager most was the teamwork shown by the new staff.

同義詞
  • impress

    general term for making someone feel admiration

  • dazzle

    to impress very strongly with brilliant skill or beauty

  • strike

    to give someone a particular impression, often sudden

反義詞
  • disappoint

    to fail to meet someone's expectations

  • bore

    to fail to interest someone

文法句型

impress + noun/pronoun

be impressed + by/with + noun

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice — 'I was very impressed by his presentation.' The active voice ('His presentation impressed me') is equally common.

常見錯誤

❌I am very impress by your work.
✅I am very impressed by your work.
💡'impressed' is the past participle and must take the -ed form after 'be'.
❌The movie impressed to me.
✅The movie impressed me.
💡'impress' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.

2. to make someone understand the importance or truth of something by stating it cl

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make someone understand the importance or truth of something by stating it clearly and firmly

例句

The principal impressed upon the students the importance of academic honesty.

pattern: impress + upon + [person] + [the importance of something]

Renata's grandmother always impressed on her the value of saving money for the future.

同義詞
  • stress

    to emphasise the importance of something; less formal

  • drill into

    to teach something by forceful repetition; informal

  • instil

    to gradually make someone feel or believe something

反義詞
  • downplay

    to make something seem less important

文法句型

impress + something + on/upon + someone

用法筆記

Almost always followed by 'on' or 'upon' plus an object. The pattern is: impress + [the thing to be understood] + on/upon + [person]. This sense is more formal than the 'WIN ADMIRATION' sense.

常見錯誤

❌She impressed me the importance of punctuality.
✅She impressed upon me the importance of punctuality.
💡this sense requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' to connect the message and the recipient.

3. to press a mark, pattern, or letters into the surface of a soft material so that

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to press a mark, pattern, or letters into the surface of a soft material so that they leave a visible shape

例句

The potter impressed a leaf pattern onto the surface of the clay bowl.

pattern: impress + [design] + onto + [surface]

A metal stamp was used to impress the company logo onto each leather wallet.

同義詞
  • stamp

    to mark a surface with a design using pressure; more specific

  • imprint

    to produce a mark by pressing; very close synonym

  • emboss

    to create a raised design on a surface

文法句型

impress + something + on/onto/into + something

用法筆記

Often used in the passive voice. The tool used for impressing is called a 'stamp', 'die', or 'seal'. This sense is also common in arts and crafts contexts.

4. to force a person to join the armed forces or to work for the government against

4.動詞及物C1
釋義

to force a person to join the armed forces or to work for the government against their will, especially in historical contexts

例句

During the 18th century, British warships often impressed men from coastal towns.

historical context: 18th-century British navy practice

Many fishermen were impressed into the navy against their will during wartime.

同義詞
  • conscript

    to force someone to join the army by law; modern equivalent

  • press-gang

    to force someone to join a ship's crew; specific to naval context

文法句型

impress + someone + into + service

用法筆記

This is a historical sense rarely used in modern English except in texts about the 17th–19th centuries. Do not confuse with the 'WIN ADMIRATION' sense, which is the ordinary modern meaning.

常見錯誤

❌The boss impressed his employees into overtime.
✅The boss made his employees work overtime.
💡this sense is not used for modern work situations; it refers specifically to historical forced military or government service.

impresses — noun