empire
English meaning: Empire
Definition
(furniture) Following or imitating a style popular during the First French Empire (1804–1814).
Example
“The museum displayed an elegant Empire writing desk from around 1810.”
Another example: “She wore a gown with a high Empire waistline.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Most commonly a noun for a large state ruling many territories ('the Roman Empire'), or for a large business group; here it is the 'Empire style' furniture adjective, a specialist term in design and antiques. Capitalised in proper names and the style sense.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Latin imperium 'command, dominion'; the furniture sense refers to the First French Empire of 1804–1814.
Synonyms
- imperial style
- neoclassical
- napoleonic
Related Words
- obe
- honours
- ottoman
- constantinople
- byzantine
- conquered
- persia
- convoy
- sultan
- conquest
Common Collocations
- empire style
- empire furniture
- empire waist
- second empire
- empire period
- empire design
Word Forms
empire (n); empires; Empire (adj, style)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B