Other forms: imposed, imposing, imposes
To impose is to force a rule or a burden onto people from above. Impose a fine, impose conditions, imposed by the council.
The preposition is on: impose a charge on residents. Impose on somebody also means to take unfair advantage of their good nature: I do not want to impose — which is one of the most British sentences there is, and is usually said while already imposing. Note imposition, which means both the act and an unreasonable demand; and imposing, which as an adjective means grand and impressive.
1verbimposeTo force a rule or burden onto people.
“The government imposed a new tax on sugary drinks.”
2verbtakeTo take unfair advantage of somebody's good nature.
“She felt he was imposing on her kindness by borrowing her car every weekend.”
impose is a placing upon.
Latin imponere is in-, on, plus ponere, to place. Impose, compose, deposit and position are all the same verb, so imposing a rule is placing it on somebody.
Proto-Indo-European
*tḱey-
Old French
emposer
Middle French
imposer
Middle English
imposen — to place, set; to impose (a duty, etc.)
English, today
impose
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Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA