impĕrĭōsus (less correctly inp-), a, um, adj. [imperium], possessed of command, far-ruling, mighty, powerful, puissant (class.).
I In gen.: urbes magnae atque imperiosae, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 2: populi, Cic. Or. 34, 120: imperiosissima civitas, Aug. Civ. Dei, 15, 19 (cf. Verg. A. 1, 284): dictatura, Liv. 7, 40, 9; cf. virga, i. e. the fasces , Ov. Tr. 5, 6, 32: quisnam igitur liber? sapiens, sibi qui imperiosus, who has dominion over himself , Hor. S. 2, 7, 83; cf. Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 62: imperiosissimae humanae mentis artes (religio, astrologia, medicina), id. 30, 1, 1, § 1: risus habet vim nescio an imperiosissimam, Quint. 6, 3, 8. —
II In partic.
A In a bad sense, imperious , domineering , tyrannical : cupiditas honoris quam dura est domina, quam imperiosa, Cic. Par. 5, 3, 40: nimis imperiosus philosophus, id. Fin. 2, 32, 105: paedagogi, Quint. 1, 1, 8: imperiosus atque impotens, Sen. Ben. 3, 28 fin. : imperiosi nobis ipsis et molesti sumus, id. Q. N. 4 praef.: Proserpina, Hor. S. 2, 5, 110: quojus cibo iste factust imperiosior, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 26: imperiosius aequor, Hor. C. 1, 14, 8: familia imperiosissima et superbissima, Liv. 9, 34, 15.—Hence,
B Impĕrĭōsus , i, m., a surname of the dictator L. Manlius Torquatus and his son , the consul T. Manlius Torquatus , on account of their severity , Liv. 7, 3, 4; 7, 4, 7; Sen. Ben. 3, 37; Cic. Fin. 2, 19, 60; Plin. 22, 5, 5, § 8; Liv. 4, 29, 6; cf. Manlius.—Hence, adv.: impĕrĭōsē , imperiously , tyrannically (ante- and postclass.): non severe, non imperiose praecepit, Gell. 2, 29, 1; Charis. 202, 11: paene imperiosius quam humanius, Varr. ap. Non. 287, 20.