IMITATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does imitate mean? 

• IMITATE (verb)
  The verb IMITATE has 3 senses:

1. reproduce someone's behavior or looks

2. appear like, as in behavior or appearance

3. make a reproduction or copy of

  Familiarity information: IMITATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IMITATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they imitate    ... he / she / it imitates   
Past simple: imitated   
Past participle: imitated   
-ing form: imitating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reproduce someone's behavior or looks

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

copy; imitate; simulate

Context example:

Children often copy their parents or older siblings

Hypernyms (to "imitate" is one way to...):

reproduce (make a copy or equivalent of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "imitate"):

conform to; follow (behave in accordance or in agreement with)

mock (imitate with mockery and derision)

take off (mimic or imitate in an amusing or satirical manner)

mime; mimic (imitate (a person or manner), especially for satirical effect)

model; pattern (plan or create according to a model or models)

follow; take after (imitate in behavior; take as a model)

emulate (strive to equal or match, especially by imitating)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

imitation (copying (or trying to copy) the actions of someone else)

imitative (marked by or given to imitation)

imitator (someone who copies the words or behavior of another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Appear like, as in behavior or appearance

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

Life imitate art

Hypernyms (to "imitate" is one way to...):

resemble (appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "imitate"):

ape (imitate uncritically and in every aspect)

emulate (imitate the function of (another system), as by modifying the hardware or the software)

follow suit (do what someone else is doing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make a reproduction or copy of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "imitate" is one way to...):

copy; re-create (make a replica of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

imitative (not genuine; imitating something superior)

 Context examples 

Some one wanted to learn to imitate your writing, and had to procure a specimen of it first.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“The man who wrote it was presumably well to do,” I remarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion’s processes.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I must imitate Mina, and keep writing things down.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Imitate her virtues as nearly as you can.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"When I grew up I became a ventriloquist, and at that I was very well trained by a great master. I can imitate any kind of a bird or beast."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The device was designed to imitate, on a micro-level, the structure and function of the placenta and model the transfer of nutrients from mother to fetus.

(Researchers design placenta-on-a-chip to better understand pregnancy, NIH)

Sometimes I tried to imitate the pleasant songs of the birds but was unable.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

My uncle shrugged his shoulders carelessly, and took a pinch of his snuff with that inimitable sweeping gesture which no man has ever ventured to imitate.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It is as if the 6MMPr was able to imitate one of the bricks, so that when Zika virus “builds” the wall, it would stop replicating.

(Brazil scientists discover Zika virus inhibitor, Agência Brasil)

"Look here, Henry," Bill said, unconsciously lowering his voice to a whisper because of what he imitated.

(White Fang, by Jack London)