\Im*pres"sion\, n. [F. impression, L. impressio.]
1. The act of impressing, or the state of being impressed;
   the communication of a stamp, mold, style, or character,
   by external force or by influence.
2. That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation;
   sensible result of an influence exerted from without.
         The stamp and clear impression of good sense.
                                               --Cowper.
         To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must
         spin, we must weave, we must build.   --Barrow.
3. That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or
   agency; appearance; phenomenon. [Obs.]
         Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the
         air.                                  --Milton.
         A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven.
                                               --Holland.
4. Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence,
   interest, concern. --Reid.
         His words impression left.            --Milton.
         Such terrible impression made the dream. --Shak.
         I have a father's dear impression, And wish, before
         I fall into my grave, That I might see her married.
                                               --Ford.
5. An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief.
6. Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery.
         Which must be read with an impression. --Milton.
7. (Print.) The pressure of the type on the paper, or the
   result of such pressure, as regards its appearance; as, a
   heavy impression; a clear, or a poor, impression; also, a
   single copy as the result of printing, or the whole
   edition printed at a given time.
         Ten impressions which his books have had. --Dryden.
8. In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in
   house painting and the like. [R.]
9. (Engraving) A print on paper from a wood block, metal
   plate, or the like.
{Proof impression}, one of the early impressions taken from
   an engraving, before the plate or block is worn.