impressĭo — Lewis & Short
impressĭo (inpr-), ōnis, f.imprimo,
I a pressing into, an impressing, impression (class.).
I Lit.
A In gen.:
materiam signari impressione formarum,App. Dogm. Plat. 1, p. 4: signaculi, Schol. Juv. 1, 68:
nummorum,stamping, coining, Aug. Doctr. Christ. 2, 25.—
B In partic.
1 An irruption, inroad, onset, assault, attack:
non judicio neque disceptatione, sed vi atque impressione (aliquem) evertere,Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 8; id. Fl. 34, 85:
hostes arbitrati occasionem se habere victoriae impressionem facere coeperunt,Varr. R. R. 2, 4. 1; cf.:
ut omni multitudine in fines Suessionum facerent impressionem,Hirt. B. G. 8, 6, 2; Liv. 4, 28, 6; 8, 9, 3; 25, 37, 13.—
2 A pressure, rough or violent handling:
omnis impressio et tumentia provocat et dolorem geminat,Cael. Aur. Acut. 3, 8, 92.—
3 A squeezing, pressure of a multitude, Fronto, Ep. ad M. Caes. 5, 30 Mai. —
II Trop.
A Of speech, a division:
si numerosum est id in omnibus sonis et vocibus, quod habet quasdam impressiones et quod metiri possumus intervallis aequalibus,divisions of time, beats, Cic. de Or. 3, 48, 185.—
B Transf., a marked expression, emphasis:
in lingua explanata vocum impressio,Cic. Ac. 1, 5, 19.—
C The impression on the mind made by phenomena:
cum visa in animis imprimantur, non vos id dicere, inter ipsas impressiones nihil interesse, sed inter species et quasdam formas eorum,Cic. Ac. 2, 18, 58.