imperare
to reign
verb eem-peh-RAH-reh Rare
Origin: From Latin imperare (to command)
Also means
to prevail
Usage Note
Imperare means to rule with authority or to dominate a situation — 'il caos imperò per ore' (chaos reigned for hours). It is intransitive and takes avere. More literary than regnare; often used figuratively for abstract forces that prevail.
Examples
"Il silenzio imperò nella sala."
Natural Translation
Silence reigned in the hall.
Related Words
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