IMPERATIVE, one of the moods of a verb, used when we would command, intreat, or advise: thus, go read, take pity, be advised, are imperatives in our language. But in the learned languages, this mood has a peculiar termination to distinguish it from others, as i, or ito, "go;" lege, or legito, "read," &c. and not only so, but the termination varies, according as you address one or more persons, as audi, and audite; auxilium, auxilium, &c.