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I have a sentence which means "to use a laser to transfer an image from the computer and have it be imprinted on any material; wood, plastic, glass, metal, anything else" What is the correct way I should say this?

  • To imprint an image onto the material?
  • To imprint an image into the material?

Or maybe there is some other way? Maybe with words: transfer, apply, put, embed.

I should ask as well, Is there a big difference between the two when we speak about merging two object?

  • Squeeze the ink into the water?

or

  • Squeeze the ink onto the water?
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Evidence from Ngram suggests that "onto" is more commonly used in "transfer an image".

The idea is to transfer/print an image on (to) a surface, plastic, wood, glass etc. not into.

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  • Please give me more information about the other questions. I wish to know then why is it embed in - meaning to apply onto a surface? To embed a photo in a stone.
    – SovereignSun
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 15:27
  • On(to) refers to the surface of water, In (to) means underwater.
    – user66974
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 15:30
  • Okay. So when we say "Squeeze the ink into the water?" we mean place something inside the water/go through the surface and then squeeze the ink? And when we say "Squeeze the ink onto the water?" we mean place something over the surface/above it and then squeeze the ink?
    – SovereignSun
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 15:32
  • If you put you hand on the water you keep your hand on the surface. If you put your hand into the water you push your hand past the surface, into it. Please refer to the older question for more exemples.
    – user66974
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 15:39

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