a. [ L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect. ] 1. Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient. [ 1913 Webster ]

Something he left imperfect in the state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing imperfect or deficient left
Of all that he created. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault;
Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Imperfect arch, an arch of less than a semicircle; a skew arch. --
Imperfect cadence (Mus.), one not ending with the tonic, but with the dominant or some other chord; one not giving complete rest; a half close. --
Imperfect consonances (Mus.), chords like the third and sixth, whose ratios are less simple than those of the fifth and forth. --
Imperfect flower (Bot.), a flower wanting either stamens or pistils. Gray. --
Imperfect interval (Mus.), one a semitone less than perfect; as, an imperfect fifth. --
Imperfect number (Math.), a number either greater or less than the sum of its several divisors; in the former case, it is called also a defective number; in the latter, an abundant number. --
Imperfect obligations (Law), obligations as of charity or gratitude, which cannot be enforced by law. --
Imperfect power (Math.), a number which can not be produced by taking any whole number or vulgar fraction, as a factor, the number of times indicated by the power; thus, 9 is a perfect square, but an imperfect cube. --
Imperfect tense (Gram.), a tense expressing past time and incomplete action. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Gram.) The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make imperfect. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being imperfectible. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Incapable of being made perfect. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. imperfectio: cf. F. imperfection. See Imperfect, a. ] The quality or condition of being imperfect; lack of perfection; incompleteness; deficiency; fault or blemish. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head. Shak.

Syn. -- Defect; deficiency; incompleteness; fault; failing; weakness; frailty; foible; blemish; vice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being imperfect. [ 1913 Webster ]