Imprest

noun (also archaic verb, transitive — "to advance or lend money")

/ˈɪmprɛst/

A sum of money advanced to a person or body for a specific purpose, with the requirement that accounts be rendered for its expenditure — the Contingency Fund of India operates as an imprest placed at the disposal of the President, to be used for unforeseen expenses pending parliamentary approval.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Robust expenditure controls — from a tightly reconciled imprest system in field offices to real-time digital audit trails — are indispensable if decentralised welfare delivery is to remain both responsive at the grassroots and accountable to the public exchequer.

Synonyms

advancefloatpetty-cash fundaccountable advanceallocationdisbursement

Antonyms

repaymentreimbursementsettlementrecoupment

🌱 Word Family

imprests (n pl), imprest (v, archaic)

🔡 Root

Italian imprestare = to lend; in- = into + prestare = to lend; Latin praestāre = to furnish, supply

📜 Etymology

From Italian imprestare ("to lend"), from in- ("into") + prestare ("to lend"), from Latin praestāre ("to furnish, supply").

🧠 Memory Hook

Hear "im-PRESSED": money is "pressed" (im-prest, from Latin praestare, "to furnish at hand") into your hands in advance — a ready float you must later account for.

💰 Indian Economy 📖 Seen in: Union Budget & Disinvestment — Budget ...

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