imperfect Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
progressive tense; imperfect tense; progressive; continuous tense.
adjective not perfect; defective or inadequate
- had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities
- imperfect mortals
- drainage here is imperfect
adjective satellite wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings
weak; fallible; frail.
- I'm only a fallible human
- frail humanity

L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.

Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.
Something he left imperfect in the state. Shak.

Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect. Shak.
Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person. Jer. Taylor.
Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective.
Nothing imperfect or deficient left Of all that he created. Milton.

Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault; Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. Pope.

(Gram.) The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.