1738, "collision, act of striking against, striking of one thing against another," from impact (v.). Figurative sense of "forceful impression" is from 1817 (Coleridge).
"person who prints books, etc.; one who understands and carries on the business of typographical printing," c. 1500, agent noun from print (v.). Earlier as "a signet or seal" (early 15c.). As a mechanical device that prints, presses, or stamps by impression, from 1859, originally in telegraphy. In the computer sense, from 1946. The Printer's bible (c. 1702) was so called from the erroneous substitution of printers for princes in Psalms cxix.161, which led to the memorable misreading:
Printers have persecuted me without a cause.
c. 1600, "press closely into something," from Latin impactus, past participle of impingere "to push into, drive into, strike against," from assimilated form of in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + pangere "to fix, fasten" (from PIE root *pag- "to fasten"). Original sense is preserved in impacted teeth. Sense of "strike forcefully against something" first recorded 1916. Figurative sense of "have a forceful effect on" is from 1935. Related: Impacting.
"printer," 1640s, from typography + -er (1).
sound of impact, attested from 1952, echoic.
1680s, "pressed closely in," past-participle adjective from impact (v.). Of teeth from 1859.
"instrument for driving by impact," mid-15c., agent noun from ram (v.).
"lessen the impact of," 1886, from buffer (n.). Related: Buffered; buffering.
