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Fund; an organization that is part of the UN (United Nations), which aims to encourage international trade and make each nation's economic system stronger. Countries which have problems paying their debts can sometimes borrow money from the IMF, but they must then agree to control their spending very strictly. → compare WORLD BANK
im·i·tate /'ImItet/ v [T] 1 to copy (the behaviour, appearance, speech etc) typical of (a person); MIMIC: James can imitate his father/his father's speech perfectly. → compare IMPERSONATE 2 to take as an example or model: You should imitate her way of doing things. —tator n
im·i·ta·tion /ImI'teIʃən/ n 1 [C;U] the act or an action of imitating: She did a brilliant imitation of the Queen. 2 [C] a copy of the real thing: It's not real leather: it's only an imitation. | imitation jewellery 3 imitation is the sincerest form of flattery saying if you copy what another person does, you are showing that you admire that person
im·i·ta·tive /'ImItətIv||-teItIv/ adj [(of)] sometimes derog following the example of someone or something else, especially in a way that shows a lack of original ideas —ly adv —ness n [U]
im·mac·u·late /I'mækjʊlət/ adj 1 clean and unspoilt: immaculate white shoes 2 pure; without fault: immaculate behaviour —ly adv: immaculately dressed
Immaculate Conception, the the Roman Catholic belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was born without ORIGINAL SIN (=the state of disobedience to God with which all human beings are born)
im·ma·nent /'Imənənt/ adj fml or tech 1 (of qualities) spreading through something: hope, which seems immanent in human nature → compare EMINENT, IMMINENT 2 (of God) present in all parts of the universe —nence, -nency n [U]
im·ma·te·ri·al /Imə'tIəriəl/ adj 1 unimportant; IRRELEVANT: When it happened is immaterial; I want to know why it happened. 2 not having material form; without substance: The body is material but the soul is immaterial.
im·ma·ture /Imə'tʃʊə, ||-t'juər/ adj 1 not fully formed or developed 2 not MATURE; showing a lack of good sense and control over one's feelings which is expected of people who are old enough to have learned this: rather immature for a man of 30 —turity n [U] —ly adv
im·meas·ur·a·ble /I'meʒərəbəl/ adj too big or great to be measured: This scandal has done immeasurable damage to the company's reputation. —bly adv
im·me·di·a·cy /I'mi:diəsi/ also im·me·di·ate·ness /-diətnəs/ n [U] the nearness or urgent presence of something, which causes it to be noticed or dealt with without delay: the immediacy of the danger | Television brings a new immediacy to world problems.
im·me·di·ate /I'mi:diət/ adj 1 a) done or needed at once and without delay: an immediate reply | taking immediate action to avert catastrophe b) [A] of or related to the present time: We have no immediate plans for expansion. | Our immediate concern was to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings. 2 [A] nearest in time, space, or degree; next: in the immediate future | My immediate family consists of my son and my wife. | Guards were posted in the immediate neighbourhood of the palace. 3 [A] with nothing in between; direct: He's been unwell for some time, but the immediate cause of his death was heart failure.
im·me·di·ate·ly¹ /I'mi:diətli/ adv 1 without delay; at once: Stop that immediately! | [+adv/prep] I came immediately after I'd eaten. 2 with nothing in between; directly: All those who are immediately involved will be informed of the decision. | [+adv/prep] I'd parked immediately in front of the theatre.
immediately² conj BrE as soon as; DIRECTLY: 'Immediately your application is accepted you will be covered by the ... Plan.' (insurance advertisement)
im·me·mo·ri·al /Imə'mɔ:riəl/ adj going back to ancient times (especially in the phrase from/since time immemorial)
im·mense /I'mens/ adj usually apprec extremely large in size or degree: an immense palace/improvement
im·mense·ly /I'mensli/ adv very much; to a great degree: I enjoyed it immensely. | immensely rich/popular
im·men·si·ty /I'mensəti/ n [U] also immensities [P] — very great size: the immensity/immensities of space
im·merse /I'm3:s||-3:rs/ v [T(in)] 1 to put deep into a body of liquid: He lay immersed in a hot bath. | Immerse the cloth in the dye. 2 to cause (oneself) to enter deeply into an activity; ABSORB: I immersed myself in work so as to stop thinking about her.
im·mer·sion /I'm3:ʃən, -ʒən||'Imərʒən/ n [U] 1 the action of immersing or state of being immersed 2 BAPTISM by going under water 3 the language teaching method in which people are put in situations where they have to use the new language most of the time so that they learn faster
im'mersion heater also immersion inflml — n BrE an electric water heater placed in a TANK that provides hot water for use in the home
im·mi·grant /'ImIgrənt/ n someone coming into a country from abroad to make their home there
CULTURAL NOTE Immigrants in the US The US has received large groups of immigrants from all over the world throughout its history. In the 19th century and early 20th century, large numbers of Europeans came to the US as immigrants. They left their home countries because they could not get work there, or because they were treated badly because of their religious or political beliefs. Many people came to live in the US because they saw it as the 'land of opportunity', a place where you could become rich and successful. Today most US immigrants come from Central and South America or Asia rather than Europe. → see also ELLIS ISLAND Immigrants in the UK The UK has received large numbers of immigrants. Some were REFUGEES, especially before and during World War II. In the 1950s and 1960s, many people went to the UK from the COMMONWEALTH especially from the Caribbean, India, and Pakistan. In the 1970s, a number of BOAT PEOPLE from Vietnam were allowed to live in the UK. Today there are strict rules preventing people from going to live in the US and the UK, and unless one of their parents is from there, they are married to a US or UK citizen, or they are bringing a large amount of money with them, it is very difficult for someone to live in either country permanently. Many illegal immigrants have come to live and work in the US, especially from Mexico and other Central American countries. Many of these immigrants do jobs that most Americans do not want to do, such as farm work, and the US has sometimes made special rules that allow some of these illegal immigrants to stay and become citizens. ASYLUM SEEKERS are allowed to live in the UK and the US until it is safe for them to return to their own country, and some are given permission to live in the UK or the US permanently. → see Feature on page A14
im·mi·grate /'ImIgreIt/ v [I] rare to come into a country to make one's life and home there → see EMIGRATE (USAGE)
im·mi·gra·tion /ImI'greIʃən/ n [U] the process of entering another country to make one's life and home there: the immigration office at the airport → see EMIGRATE (USAGE)
Immigration and Naturalization Service, the also the INS a US government organization which deals with IMMIGRATION, making sure that people from other countries obey official rules about who is allowed to live or work in the US. It also has the power to decide whether these people can become US citizens.
immi'gration controls n [P] the rules used to limit the number of immigrants who come to live in a country, especially by making it difficult for them to get official permission to immigrate: There are strict immigration controls in this country. → see also ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
im·mi·nence /'ImInəns/ also im·mi·nen·cy /-nənsi/ n [U] fml the nearness of something which is going to happen, especially something unpleasant: The imminence of the exams made them work harder.
im·mi·nent /'ImInənt/ adj which is going to happen very soon: There's a storm imminent. | in imminent danger of death → compare EMINENT, IMPENDING, IMMANENT —ly adv
im·mo·bile /I'məubaIl||-bəl/ adj unmoving; unable to move: to keep a broken leg immobile —bility /Iməu'bIləti/ n [U]
im·mo·bi·lize also -ise BrE /I'məubaIlaIz/ v [T] to make unable to move or travel: immobilized by bad weather | (fig.)