different between defer vs imply

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??f??(?)/
• Rhymes: -??(r)
• (US) IPA^(key): /d??f?/
• Hyphenation: de?fer

Etymology 1

Originally a variant of (and hence a doublet of) differ; from Middle English differren (“to postpone”), from Old French differer, from Latin differ?.

Verb

defer (third-person singular simple present defers, present participle deferring, simple past and past participle deferred)

1. (transitive) To delay or postpone
   1. (especially more common, historically) to postpone induction into military service.
2. (American football) After winning the opening coin toss, to postpone until the start of the second half a team's choice of whether to kick off or receive (and to allow the opposing team to make this choice at the start of the first half).
3. (intransitive) To delay, to wait.

Derived terms

• deferral
• deferment

Related terms

• differ

Translations

Etymology 2

From late Middle English differren (“to refer for judgement”), from Middle French déférer, from Latin d?fer?.

Verb

defer (third-person singular simple present defers, present participle deferring, simple past and past participle deferred)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority.
2. To render, to offer.
   • 1872, Daniel Brevint, Saul and Samuel at Endor

     worship deferred to the Virgin

Derived terms

• deference

Translations

Anagrams

• freed, refed

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?de?.fer/, [?d?e?f?r]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?de.fer/, [?d???f?r]

Verb

d?fer

1. second-person singular present active imperative of d?fer?

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?pla?/
• Rhymes: -a?
• Hyphenation: im?ply

Verb

imply (third-person singular simple present implies, present participle implying, simple past and past participle implied)

1. (transitive, of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence

2. (transitive, of a person) to suggest by logical inference

3. (transitive, of a person or proposition) to hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement

4. (archaic) to enfold, entangle.

Conjugation

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• (to have as a necessary consequence): entail
• (to suggest tacitly): allude, hint, insinuate, suggest

Related terms

• implicate
• implication
• implicative
• implicit
• implicitness
• implision

Translations

See also

• connotation
• entail

Further reading

• imply in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• imply in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.