import

[v. im-pawrt, -pohrt; n. im-pawrt, -pohrt] /v. ɪmˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt; n. ˈɪm pɔrt, -poʊrt/
verb (used with object)
1.
to bring in (merchandise, commodities, workers, etc.) from a foreign country for use, sale, processing, reexport, or services.
2.
to bring or introduce from one use, connection, or relation into another:
foreign bodies imported into the blood; foodstuffs imported from the farm.
3.
to convey as meaning or implication; signify:
Her words imported a change of attitude.
4.
to involve as a necessary circumstance; imply:
Religion imports belief.
5.
Computers. to bring (documents, data, etc.) into one software program from another.
6.
Archaic. to be of consequence or importance to; concern.
verb (used without object)
7.
to be of consequence or importance; matter.
noun
8.
something that is imported from abroad; an imported commodity or article.
9.
the act of importing or bringing in; importation, as of goods from abroad:
the import of foreign cars.
10.
consequence or importance:
matters of great import.
11.
meaning; implication; purport:
He felt the import of her words.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English importen < Latin importāre. See im-1, port5
Related forms
importable, adjective
importability, noun
importer, noun
nonimport, noun
overimport, verb (used with object)
preimport, verb (used with object)
preimport, noun
unimported, adjective
unimporting, adjective
Synonyms
10. significance, sense.
Examples from the web for import
  • It's disrespectful to the people in those professions, it doesn't respect the significance or the import of what they do.
  • His works, many controversial, depict import social issues and historic periods.
  • It's also one that's of cinematic and, more generally, artistic import.
  • My biggest problem was that you can't import footnotes right now.
  • If not, they can always import that experience by bringing in guest speakers or studying relevant essays or video clips.
  • They added up to a corpus of civilization, a series whose import had real stakes.
  • Their import remained unclarified but nonetheless compelling.
  • To any country which was highly improved throughout, it would be more advantageous to import its lean cattle than to breed them.
  • Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits.
  • Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices.
British Dictionary definitions for import

import

verb (ɪmˈpɔːt; ˈɪmpɔːt)
1.
to buy or bring in (goods or services) from a foreign country Compare export
2.
(transitive) to bring in from an outside source: to import foreign words into the language
3.
(rare) to signify or be significant; mean; convey: to import doom
noun (ˈɪmpɔːt)
4.
(often pl)
  1. goods (visible imports) or services (invisible imports) that are bought from foreign countries
  2. (as modifier): an import licence
5.
significance or importance: a man of great import
6.
meaning or signification
7.
(Canadian, informal) a sportsman or -woman who is not native to the country in which he or she plays
Derived Forms
importable, adjective
importability, noun
importer, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Latin importāre to carry in, from im- + portāre to carry
Word Origin and History for import
v.

early 15c., "convey information, express, make known, signify," from Latin importare "bring in, convey," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + portare "to carry" (see port (n.1)). Sense of "bring in goods from abroad" first recorded c.1500. Related: Imported; importing.

n.

"consequence, importance," 1580s; sense of "that which is imported" is from 1680s; both from import (v.).

Slang definitions & phrases for import

import

noun

An out-of-town date brought to a dance, party, etc (1940s+ Students)


import in Technology

data
To read data that is not in the native format of the application. For example, a web browser will have its own way of storing bookmarks but it will usually provide a function to import bookmarks from Internet Explorer. The alternative is to provide an independent external conversion utility but this is usually less convenient for the user.
(2004-11-15)