Words / C1

im-PYOOT/ɪmˈpjuːt/

To impute is to say that a quality, action, or fault belongs to someone (impute to): impute a motive, impute the error to a clerk. Attribute is the close twin; a corridor theory does not rewrite a codebook.

Meaning

To say that someone or something is the cause or source of a fault (impute to) (formal).

Examples

• “Do not impute a blank n to the printer; name the methods hole.”
• “Do not impute the empty n to “seasonal mood”; name the missing slice.”
• “Attribute is the close twin. Ascribe is a cousin. Mood is a story. A slice with a date is methods. Write the exclusion; keep the mood for the limitations if it still belongs there.”

Good to know

Assign a fault or quality to someone. Close: attribute. “Mood” ≠ a named slice.

Near in meaning

attribute, ascribe

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