Impression \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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)