IMPERIAL

Of or pertaining to an empire, or to an emperor; as, an imperial government; imperial authority or edict. The last That wore the imperial diadem of Rome. Shak. Belonging to, or suitable to, supreme authority, or one who wields it; royal; sovereign; supreme. "The imperial democracy of Athens." Mitford. Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns With an imperial voice. Shak. To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free, These are imperial arts, and worthy thee. Dryden. He sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle. E. Everett. Of superior or unusual size or excellence; as, imperial paper; imperial tea, etc. Imperial bushel, gallon, etc. See Bushel, Gallon, etc. -- Imperial chamber, the, the sovereign court of the old German empire. -- Imperial city, under the first German empire, a city having no head but the emperor. -- Imperial diet, an assembly of all the states of the German empire. -- Imperial drill. (Manuf.) See under 8th Drill. -- Imperial eagle. (Zoöl.) See Eagle. -- Imperial green. See Paris green, under Green. -- Imperial guard, the royal guard instituted by Napoleon I. -- Imperial weights and measures, the standards legalized by the British Parliament.

The tuft of hair on a man's lower lip and chin; -- so called from the style of beard of Napoleon III. An outside seat on a diligence. T. Hughes. A luggage case on the top of a coach. Simmonds. Anything of unusual size or excellence, as a large decanter, a kind of large photograph, a large sheet of drowing, printing, or writing paper, etc. A gold coin of Russia worth ten rubles, or about eight dollars. McElrath. A kind of fine cloth brought into England from Greece. or other Eastern countries, in the Middle Ages.

Related to an empire, emperor, or empress. | Relating to the British imperial system of measurement. | Very grand or fine. | Of special, superior, or unusual size or excellence. | Stronger than typical. (Derived from the name of Russian Imperial stout, a strong dark beer.)

A city in Imperial County, California, United States. | A city, the county seat of Chase County, Nebraska, United States. | A town in Saskatchewan, Canada. | Imperial College London. | A census-designated place in Pennsylvania, United States. | A census-designated place in Texas, United States. | An unincorporated community in Virginia, United States. | An unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States. | A former department of Chile.

A bottle of wine (usually Bordeaux) containing 6 liters of fluid, eight times the volume of a standard bottle. | A writing paper size measuring 30 × 22 inches, or printing paper measuring 32 × 22 inches. | A card game differing from piquet in some minor details, and in having a trump. | Any of several combinations of cards which score in this game. | A crown imperial. | A tuft of hair on the lower lip (so called from its use by Napoleon III). | A kind of dome, as in Moorish buildings. | An outside or roof seat on a diligence or carriage. | A suitcase or trunk designed to be transported on the roof of a carriage. | A variety of green tea.