Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Emprise

Em-prise′

,
Noun.
[OF.
emprise
, fr.
emprendre
to undertake; pref.
em-
(L.
in
) + F.
prendre
to take, L.
prehendere
,
prendere
;
prae
before + a verb akin to E.
get
. See
Get
, and cf.
Enterprise
,
Impresa
.]
[Archaic]
1.
An enterprise; endeavor; adventure.
Chaucer.
In brave pursuit of chivalrous
emprise
.
Spenser.
The deeds of love and high
emprise
.
Longfellow.
2.
The qualifies which prompt one to undertake difficult and dangerous exploits.
I love thy courage yet and bolt
emprise
;
But here thy sword can do thee little stead.
Milton.

Em-prise′

,
Verb.
T.
To undertake.
[Obs.]
Sackville.

Webster 1828 Edition


Emprise

EMPRI'SE

,
Noun.
s as z. [Norm; em, en, and prise, from prendre, to take.] An undertaking; an enterprise.
[This word is now rarely or never used, except in poetry.]

Definition 2024


emprise

emprise

English

Alternative forms

Noun

emprise (plural emprises)

  1. (archaic) An enterprise or endeavor, especially a quest or adventure.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.ix:
      noble minds of yore allyed were, / In braue poursuit of cheualrous emprize, / That none did others safety despize []
    • Longfellow
      the deeds of love and high emprise
    • 1900, William Archer, America To-Day, Observations & Reflections, page 181:
      Nothing short of an imperative sense of duty could tempt me to set forth on that most perilous emprise, a discussion of the American language.
  2. (archaic) The qualities which prompt one to undertake difficult and dangerous exploits; chivalric prowess.
    • Milton
      I love thy courage yet, and bold emprise; / But here thy sword can do thee little stead.

Verb

emprise (third-person singular simple present emprises, present participle emprising, simple past and past participle emprised)

  1. (obsolete) To undertake.

Anagrams


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑ̃.pʁiz/

Noun

emprise f (plural emprises)

  1. expropriation
  2. domination, control, influence

Old French

Noun

emprise f (oblique plural emprises, nominative singular emprise, nominative plural emprises)

  1. enterprise; undertaking; activity

Derived terms

  • emprisier

Descendants

References

  • (fr) Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (emprise)