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Baby vs Imp - What's the difference?

baby | imp |

In archaic terms the difference between baby and imp

is that baby is a small image of an infant; a doll while imp is to graft, implant; to set or fix.

As nouns the difference between baby and imp

is that baby is a very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered while imp is a young shoot of a plant, tree etc.

As verbs the difference between baby and imp

is that baby is {{cx|transitive|lang=en}} To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant while imp is to plant or engraft.

As an adjective baby

is of a child: very young; of the age when he or she would be termed a baby or infant.

As an initialism IMP is

inosine monophosphate.

baby

English

Noun

(babies)
  • A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
  • Any very young animal, especially a vertebrate; many species have specific names for their babies, such as kittens for the babies of cats, puppies]] for the babies of dogs, and chicks for the babies of birds. See [[:Category:Baby animals for more.
  • Unborn young; a fetus.
    • When is your baby due?
  • A person who is immature or infantile.
    • Stand up for yourself - don't be such a baby !
  • A term of endearment for a girlfriend or boyfriend or spouse.
  • (informal) A form of address to a man or a woman considered to be attractive.
    • Hey baby , what are you doing later?
  • A pet project or responsibility.
    • The annual report has been my baby since September.
  • The lastborn of a family.
    • See my new car here? I can't wait to take this baby for a drive.
  • (archaic) A small image of an infant; a doll.

    • Synonyms

    * (young human being) babe, babby, babbie, infant * (immature or infantile person) big baby * (term of endearment) love

    See also

    * gamete, zygote, morula, blastocyst, embryo, fetus

    Adjective

    (-) (used only before the noun)
  • Of a child: very young; of the age when he or she would be termed a baby or infant.
    • a baby boy
  • Of an animal: young.
    • a baby elephant
  • Intended for babies.
    • baby clothes
  • Picked when small and immature (as in baby corn'', ''baby potatoes ).

    • Usage notes

    When referring to a human baby (as per noun sense 1 above) the usual practice is to treat 'human' as the adjective and 'baby' as the noun.

    Synonyms

    * (sense) little * (intended for babies) baby's

    Verb

  • To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.

    • Derived terms

    * anchor baby * baby-batterer * baby-battering * baby beef * Baby Bell * baby bond * baby bonus * baby boom * baby boomer * baby-bouncer * baby boy * baby buggy * babycare * baby carriage * baby doll * baby-doll pajamas, baby doll pyjamas * baby face * baby food * baby girl * baby grand * babygro * babyhood * baby house * babyish * baby-jumper * baby-minder * baby monitor * baby of the family * baby's breath * baby seat * babysit, baby-sit * babysitter, baby-sitter * babysitting * baby-sitting * baby-snatcher * baby-snatching * baby's tears * baby talk * baby tooth * baby-walker * be left holding the baby * big baby * crybaby * cry like a baby * passport baby * throw out the baby with the bathwater, throw the baby out with the bathwater * sleep like a baby (baby)

    Related terms

    * babe

    See also

    * child * infant * toddler

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words English affectionate terms ----

    imp

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A young shoot of a plant, tree etc.
  • * Sir Orfeo , 69:
    • Þai sett hem doun al þre / Vnder a fair ympe-tre.
  • (obsolete) A scion, offspring; a child.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene I.3:
    • And thou most dreaded impe of highest Ioue'', / Faire ''Venus sonne, [...] come to mine ayde [...].
  • * Fairfax
    • The tender imp was weaned.
  • A young or inferior devil; a malevolent supernatural creature, similar to a demon but smaller and less powerful.
  • * Beattie
    • to mingle in the clamorous fray of squabbling imps
  • A mischievous child.
  • * 1908 ,
    • I've left my young children to look after themselves, and a more mischievous and troublesome set of young imps doesn't exist...
  • (UK, dialect, obsolete) Something added to, or united with, another, to lengthen it out or repair it, such as an addition to a beehive; a feather inserted in a broken wing of a bird; or a length of twisted hair in a fishing line.

    • Synonyms

    * (mischievous child) brat, urchin, little dickens

    Derived terms

    * impish * implike

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To plant or engraft.
  • (archaic) To graft, implant; to set or fix.
  • *1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , IV.9:
  • *:That headlesse tyrants tronke he reard from ground, / And, having ympt the head to it agayne, / Upon his usuall beast it firmely bound, / And made it so to ride as it alive was found.
  • (falconry) To engraft feathers into a bird's wing.
    • "For, if I imp my wing on Thine" – Herbert (1633)
  • To eke out, strengthen, enlarge.

    • Anagrams

    * (l) * (l) * (l)