Obs. Forms: 6 emprese, 7 empresse, empressa. See also IMPRESS sb.2, IMPRESA. [A var. of IMPRESS sb.2, ad. It. impresa of same meaning. The form with em- may be ad. the equivalent Sp. empresa, and is therefore treated separately.]

1

  A motto or significant device; see IMPRESS sb.2 Also attrib.

2

1593.  Nashe, Christ’s T., 19 b. Let … this for an Emprese be engrauen.

3

1603.  Drayton, Bar. Wars, VI. xliii. 136.

        About the border in a curious fret,
Emblems, Empresas, Hiroglifiques set.

4

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 287. A blew garter: carrying this Empresse … Hony soit Qvi Mal y pense.

5

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 146/2. Emblem or Empress work, is drawing Faces from the Life, which is the most hard and difficult of all other works in this Art, and the most to be commended of all other works.

6