Imitation
noun
The act of copying someone or something.
His imitation of the teacher was so funny that the whole class laughed.
Often appears as...
- imitation of someone
- imitation of something
noun
Something that is made to look like something else, typically as a cheaper version of it.
She bought an imitation leather bag because it was less expensive.
Often appears as...
- imitation leather
- imitation jewelry
noun
Process in learning, where one models their behavior after someone else's.
Children often learn through imitation, copying their parents' behavior.
Often appears as...
- learn through imitation
- imitation learning
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Made to look like something else, not the real thing.
They sold imitation diamond rings at the fair.
Often appears as...
- imitation gold
- imitation pearls
noun
The act of copying someone or something.
His imitation of the teacher was so funny that the whole class laughed.
Often appears as...
- imitation of someone
- imitation of something
noun
Something that is made to look like something else, typically as a cheaper version of it.
She bought an imitation leather bag because it was less expensive.
Often appears as...
- imitation leather
- imitation jewelry
noun
Process in learning, where one models their behavior after someone else's.
Children often learn through imitation, copying their parents' behavior.
Often appears as...
- learn through imitation
- imitation learning
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Made to look like something else, not the real thing.
They sold imitation diamond rings at the fair.
Often appears as...
- imitation gold
- imitation pearls
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Context Matters
Imitation can be positive, like an homage, or negative, like mockery. Context reveals intent.
His imitation of the mayor was respectful, honoring her speech patterns.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Tone
The tone can change meaning. A playful tone often indicates teasing instead of disrespect.
Her playful imitation of her friend's dance moves made everyone giggle.
Pro Tip 3/3Flattery or Insult
The phrase 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' suggests copying as a compliment.
He took my imitation of his project presentation as the compliment it was intended to be.
Pro Tip 1/3Context Matters
Imitation can be positive, like an homage, or negative, like mockery. Context reveals intent.
His imitation of the mayor was respectful, honoring her speech patterns.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Tone
The tone can change meaning. A playful tone often indicates teasing instead of disrespect.
Her playful imitation of her friend's dance moves made everyone giggle.
Pro Tip 3/3Flattery or Insult
The phrase 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' suggests copying as a compliment.
He took my imitation of his project presentation as the compliment it was intended to be.
Pro Tip 1/3Context Matters
Imitation can be positive, like an homage, or negative, like mockery. Context reveals intent.
His imitation of the mayor was respectful, honoring her speech patterns.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Tone
The tone can change meaning. A playful tone often indicates teasing instead of disrespect.
Her playful imitation of her friend's dance moves made everyone giggle.
Pro Tip 3/3Flattery or Insult
The phrase 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' suggests copying as a compliment.
He took my imitation of his project presentation as the compliment it was intended to be.
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Video examples
The neurons that shaped...
simulation of the other person's action now what is the significance of these mirror neurons for one thing there must be involved in things like imitation and emulation because to imitate a complex act it requires my brain to adopt the other person's point of view so this is important for imitation and emulation
Video examples
Learning from dirty jobs...
and the jobs we hope to create aren't going to stick unless they're jobs that people want. And I know the point of this conference is to celebrate things that are near and dear to us, but I also know that clean and dirty aren't opposites. They're two sides of the same coin, just like innovation and imitation,
Video examples
The neurons that shaped...
For one thing they must be involved in things like imitation and emulation. Because to imitate a complex act requires my brain to adopt the other person's point of view. So, this is important for imitation and emulation. Well, why is that important? Well, let's take a look at the next slide.
Video examples
The Real Amazons PIPE...
live the active outdoor life participating in the same activities as the men in greece and that stark difference made a deep impression on the greeks this difference did inspire admiration not imitation i found out about this when we were searching for images for
Video examples
3 steps to stop remote...
for eight hours a day. There are none of the nuanced cues that help you read a room. Staring at disembodied heads on a screen offers only a pale imitation of real human connection. Social anxiety only makes this worse. When you have a camera in your face,
Video examples
Rives: Reinventing the...
I do like sympathy. I do like magic. So when I click on "sympathetic magic," I get sympathetic magic and voodoo dolls. This is the boy in me getting lucky again. Sympathetic magic is imitation. If you imitate something, maybe you can have an effect on it.
Video examples
Peter Tyack: The...
making an imitation of that trainer's whistle. If you hummed this tune to your dog or cat and it hummed it back to you, you ought to be pretty surprised. Very few nonhuman mammals can imitate sounds. It's really important for our music and our language.
Video examples
The surprising reason...
practicing until it can match the song it memorized. As the bird learns, hearing the tutor’s song over and over again is helpful— up to a point. If he hears it too many times, the imitation degrades— and the source matters.
Video examples
Ben Katchor's comics of...
it can't be helped. But where does this sound, commonly described as a click, come from? Is it simply the byproduct of a crude mechanical action? Or is it an imitation
Video examples
Huge Trout Eats Mice PIPE...
Here, the insect imitations have been replaced with fluffy imitation mice.
Video examples
The neurons that shaped...
simulation of the other person's action now what is the significance of these mirror neurons for one thing there must be involved in things like imitation and emulation because to imitate a complex act it requires my brain to adopt the other person's point of view so this is important for imitation and emulation
Video examples
Learning from dirty jobs...
and the jobs we hope to create aren't going to stick unless they're jobs that people want. And I know the point of this conference is to celebrate things that are near and dear to us, but I also know that clean and dirty aren't opposites. They're two sides of the same coin, just like innovation and imitation,
Video examples
The neurons that shaped...
For one thing they must be involved in things like imitation and emulation. Because to imitate a complex act requires my brain to adopt the other person's point of view. So, this is important for imitation and emulation. Well, why is that important? Well, let's take a look at the next slide.
Video examples
The Real Amazons PIPE...
live the active outdoor life participating in the same activities as the men in greece and that stark difference made a deep impression on the greeks this difference did inspire admiration not imitation i found out about this when we were searching for images for
Video examples
3 steps to stop remote...
for eight hours a day. There are none of the nuanced cues that help you read a room. Staring at disembodied heads on a screen offers only a pale imitation of real human connection. Social anxiety only makes this worse. When you have a camera in your face,
Video examples
Rives: Reinventing the...
I do like sympathy. I do like magic. So when I click on "sympathetic magic," I get sympathetic magic and voodoo dolls. This is the boy in me getting lucky again. Sympathetic magic is imitation. If you imitate something, maybe you can have an effect on it.
Video examples
Peter Tyack: The...
making an imitation of that trainer's whistle. If you hummed this tune to your dog or cat and it hummed it back to you, you ought to be pretty surprised. Very few nonhuman mammals can imitate sounds. It's really important for our music and our language.
Video examples
The surprising reason...
practicing until it can match the song it memorized. As the bird learns, hearing the tutor’s song over and over again is helpful— up to a point. If he hears it too many times, the imitation degrades— and the source matters.
Video examples
Ben Katchor's comics of...
it can't be helped. But where does this sound, commonly described as a click, come from? Is it simply the byproduct of a crude mechanical action? Or is it an imitation
Video examples
Huge Trout Eats Mice PIPE...
Here, the insect imitations have been replaced with fluffy imitation mice.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Paul Jones
American Soldier
I propose not our enemies as an example for our general imitation, yet, as their navy is the best regulated of any in the world, we must, in some degree, imitate them and aim at such farther improvement as may one day make ours vie with - and exceed - theirs.
Quote examples
James E. Gunn
American Writer
I don't know if there is any one secret to successful writing, but one important step is to move beyond imitation and discover what you can write that no one else can - that is, find out who you are and write that in an appropriate narrative and style.
Quote examples
Gary Gygax
American Inventor
Of course as children, we all, in all cultures and societies, learn behavior from observation, imitation, and encouragement of various kinds. So by the suggestion made, we all 'pretend' most of the time.
Quote examples
Gaspar Noe
Argentinian Director
Narrative cinema is just an imitation of life. Why would you prevent yourself and the audience of the same images, of the same that happened in real life?
Quote examples
William Hanna
American Artist
Cartoons ran into trouble when they became too much like real life images. Cartoons had become poor imitations of the real thing.
Quote examples
John Lydon
English Musician
Art should be life. It's an imitation of life. It should have some humanity in it.
Quote examples
Friedrich Nietzsche
German Philosopher
The bad gains respect through imitation, the good loses it especially in art.
Quote examples
Luise Rainer
German Actress
The best imitation in the world is not half as good as a poor original.
Quote examples
Shawn Crahan
American Musician
I wouldn't disrespect myself or my art with any imitations.
Quote examples
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Roman Statesman
In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.
Quote examples
John Paul Jones
American Soldier
I propose not our enemies as an example for our general imitation, yet, as their navy is the best regulated of any in the world, we must, in some degree, imitate them and aim at such farther improvement as may one day make ours vie with - and exceed - theirs.
Quote examples
James E. Gunn
American Writer
I don't know if there is any one secret to successful writing, but one important step is to move beyond imitation and discover what you can write that no one else can - that is, find out who you are and write that in an appropriate narrative and style.
Quote examples
Gary Gygax
American Inventor
Of course as children, we all, in all cultures and societies, learn behavior from observation, imitation, and encouragement of various kinds. So by the suggestion made, we all 'pretend' most of the time.
Quote examples
Gaspar Noe
Argentinian Director
Narrative cinema is just an imitation of life. Why would you prevent yourself and the audience of the same images, of the same that happened in real life?
Quote examples
William Hanna
American Artist
Cartoons ran into trouble when they became too much like real life images. Cartoons had become poor imitations of the real thing.
Quote examples
John Lydon
English Musician
Art should be life. It's an imitation of life. It should have some humanity in it.
Quote examples
Friedrich Nietzsche
German Philosopher
The bad gains respect through imitation, the good loses it especially in art.
Quote examples
Luise Rainer
German Actress
The best imitation in the world is not half as good as a poor original.
Quote examples
Shawn Crahan
American Musician
I wouldn't disrespect myself or my art with any imitations.
Quote examples
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Roman Statesman
In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.
Example 1 of 10
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