imprest

A clerk receives an imprest to purchase office supplies.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sum of money advanced for a particular purpose: "imprest" refers to a fund of money set aside for specific expenses, typically in a business or governmental context, where the amount is replenished as it is used.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The office manager keeps an imprest for petty cash expenses. (A small fund used for minor purchases.)
  • The government issued an imprest to cover travel costs for the delegation. (An advance of money for official travel.)

Advanced Usage

• "Imprest system": A method of managing a cash fund where a fixed amount is maintained, and expenditures are reimbursed periodically.

  • The company uses an imprest system to control small office purchases. (A system where the fund is kept constant by replenishing used amounts.)

• "Imprest account": A specific ledger account used to track the imprest fund.

  • The accountant reconciled the imprest account at the end of the month. (The account for the advance fund.)

Variants and Related Words

• Imprestment (n, rare): the act of advancing money as an imprest.
  • The imprestment of funds was approved by the finance director. (The process of providing the advance.)

Synonyms

• Advance: a sum of money paid before it is due.
• Float: a small amount of cash kept for minor expenses.
• Petty cash: a small fund for incidental expenses.

Related Idioms

• On imprest: (formal) referring to money taken as an advance.
  • The employee took the travel allowance on imprest. (Received as an advance before the trip.)