online medical dictionary | definition of imposition

1. The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like. "From imposition of strict laws." . "Made more solemn by the imposition of hands." (Hammond)

2. That which is imposed, levied, or enjoined; charge; burden; injunction; tax.

3. <engineering> An extra exercise enjoined on students as a punishment.

4. An excessive, arbitrary, or unlawful exaction; hence, a trick or deception put on laid on others; cheating; fraud; delusion; imposture. "Reputation is an idle and most false imposition." (Shak)

5. The act of laying on the hands as a religious ceremoy, in ordination, confirmation, etc.

6. The act or process of imosing pages or columns of type. See Impose.

Synonyms: Deceit, fraud, imposture. See Deception.

Origin: F, fr. L. Impositio the application of a name to a thing. See Impone.

(01 Mar 1998)