imperfect Copy link Outline I. Not finished1. inchŏātus (begun, but not finished)2. imperfectusII. Defective1. mancus (strictly, crippled2. imperfectus3. rŭdis, e (in a rough state; unwrought)4. curtus (lit. clipped, mutilated)III. Marked by faults and vicesIV. In grammar, the i. tense, imperfectum tempus • imperfect: I. Not finished: 1. inchŏātus (begun, but not finished): the perfect is preferred to the i., perfecta inchoatis anteferuntur, Cic. Top. 18, 69: to leave a thing i., rem inc. relinquere, Cic. N. D. 1, 20, 56: v. unfinished. 2. imperfectus: cf. Cic. Tim. 4, init., imperfectum, nec absoluto simile: Virg.: Quint. II. Defective: 1. mancus (strictly, crippled: hence, wanting some important element): they thought virtue would be i. without some appendage, m. fore putaverunt sine aliqua accessione virtutem, Cic. Fin. 3, 9, 30. Join: mancus et inchoatus, Cic. Off. 1, 43, 153. 2. imperfectus: Join: rudis et imperfectus (incomplete and unfinished), Quint. 3, 1, 7: cf. Cic. Tim. 4, init. 3. rŭdis, e (in a rough state; unwrought): v. unfinished. 4. curtus (lit. clipped, mutilated): there is ever something lacking in our i. happiness, curtae nescio quid semper abest rei, Hor. Od. 3, 24, 64: Cic. introduces the epith. by quasi, Fin. 4, 14, 36, where the antith. is perfectus atque plenus: Lact. III. Marked by faults and vices: mendōsus: Hor. S. 1, 6, 6: Cic.: v. faulty. Phr.: human nature is i., *natura hominum vitiorum expers non est; vitiis nemo sine nascitur, Hor. S. 1, 3, 68. IV. In grammar, the i. tense, imperfectum tempus: Macr.: Char.: less freq. tempus inchoativum, Diom.