3005 
hinder, lit. catch or hold the feet of, < in, in, on, 
+ pi-n (/</-), foot, = E.foot. Cf. eipetle.'] To 
be an obstacle to ; stand in the way of; hinder; 
impeachment 
The practice of impeachment directed against Michael 
de la 1'ole In 1386 was revived in U..H tin Ihe destruction 
of his grandson. Stub/is, Const. Hist., 371. 
Articles of Impeachment, see article. Court of Im- 
peachment, a tribunal, usually the upper branch of a 
legislature, sitting on tbe trial of articles of impeachment. It is one of the principal tenets of the Utilitarians that 
Impeachment Of a witness. Sue/m/'(7i,u. t. Im- sentiment and eloquence serve only to impede the pur- 
peachment of waste, in Ian; a restraint from commil- suit of truth. Macaulay, Mill on Government 
ting waste upon lands ,,i tenements, or a demand of rec- The pat hiesg ocean does not impede, it accelerates the 
ompense for waste, done by a tenant to the prejudice of Drol , re s8 of the intellectual energy 
the right of another's estate or interest in the property. t'verett Orations L 421 
impearl faytA'). v. t. [Also empearl; < ,-'-: To retnrd dela check ^ ^ h ' 
+ /*)/.] 1. To form into pearls or the resem- imp J edib i e ( i m -ped'i-bl), . [= It. impcdiUle; as 
blauce of pearls. impede + -ible.] Capable of being impeded. 
Dew-drops which the HIM 
Jrops v 
Impearlg on every leaf and every flower. 
Milton, P. L., v. 747. 
2. To decorate with or as if with pearls. 
The Mountains, or the dowry Meads, 
Impearld with tears, that sweet Aurora shcads. 
SyleeHter, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, L 3. 
Husht as the falling Dews, whose noiseless show is 
lull" /-I*- the folded Leaves of Ev nlng Flow'rs. 
Congreve, To Sleep. 
Proud be the rose, with rains and dews 
Her head impearliny. 
Wordtmarth, To the Daisy. 
impeccability (im-pek-a-bil'i-ti), w. [= F. im- 
l<i I'i'iihi/ite = Sp. impceiibiliaad = Pg. impecca- 
bilidade = It. impeccabilita, < ML. *impeccabili- 
ta(t-)s, < LL. im/id'cabiUx, inpeccabilis, not lia- 
ble to sin: see impeccable.] The character of 
being impeccable ; exemption from liability to 
do wrong. 
This last state may be the finishing operation, to eter- 
nize the Infallibility and impeccability of all lapsed, sen- 
tient, and intelligent beings. G. Ctteyne, Regimen, p. 320. 
The impeccability of the Bishop of Rome was not as yet 
an article of the Roman creed. 
Every internal act Is not in Itself impedible by outward 
violence. Jer. Taylor, Dnctor Dubitantium, L 
impediment (im-ped'i-ment), n. [= F. impedi- 
ment (in pi.) = Sp. Pg. It. impedimenta, < L. 
inipedinu'ntmn, inpedimentum, a hindrance, pi. 
impedimenta, inpedimenta, baggage, esp. mili- 
tary baggage, < impedire, inpedire, impede : see 
impede.] That which impedes or binders pro- 
gress; hindrance; obstruction; obstacle. 
Thus far Into the bowels of the land 
Have we march'd on without impediment. 
Shak., Rich. III., T. 2. 
Let me not to the marriage of true minds 
Admit impediment*. Shak., Sonnets, cxvi. 
Hott countries are subject to greevous diseases, and 
many noysome impediments, which other more temper- 
ate places are freer from. 
Bradford, Plymouth Plantation, p. 28. 
Let the laws be purged of every barbarous reminder, 
every barbarous impediment to women. 
Emerson, Woman. 
Diriment impediments of marriage. See diriment. 
Impediment in speech, a defect which prevents distinct 
articulation. = Syn. Difficulty, Obrtruction, etc. (see obsta- 
cle); encumbrance, bar, barrier, check. 
Milman, Latin Christianity, Iv. . impediment! (im-ped'i-ment), V. t. [= It. im- 
impeccable (im-pek'a-bl), a. [= F . impeccable pedimentare, impedimentire, impede; from the 
= Sp. inipecable = Pg. impeccavef= It. impec- 
ftthile, < LL. impeccabilis, inpeccabilis, not liable 
to sin, < L. in- priv. + "peccabilis, liable to sin : 
see peccable, ,] Not liable to err; not subject 
noun.] To impede. 
Lest Themlstocles . . . should have withstood and t'm- 
pcdimented a general good. 
/>>. JteynuUli, On the Passions, xv. 
to sin; exempt from the possibility of doing impedimenta(im-ped-i-men'ta), n.pl. [L., 
wrong. pi. of impediment-urn, a hindrance : see impedi- 
11 we honour the man, must we bold his pen impecca- ment, n.] Things which hinder, impede, or en- 
blef Bp. Hall, Honour of Married Clergy, p. 43.^ cumber ; specifically, articles taken with one 
We perhaps may think It very convenient that we on a journey which impede one's progress; espe- 
should at first have been made impeccable, and secured 
from falling. Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. vii. 
I may do a virtuous action without being impeccable. 
J. II. Keunnan, Uram. of Assent, p. 215. 
impeccance (im-pek'ans), n. [= F. itnpeccance 
cially, military baggage ; supplies carried along 
with an army; in general, baggage. 
I will only state that I and my impedimenta which 
consisted of a hand-bag and an overcoat went ashore in 
three boats. Aldrich, Ponkapog to Pesth, p. 218. 
= Sp. impccancia = Pg. impeccancia, < LL. im- impedimental (im-ped-i-men'tal), a. [< t 
peccantia, inpeccantia, sinlessness, < "impec- ,,edirnent + -al.] Pertaining to or of the r 
can(t-)s.*iin>ecctiit(t-)s. imneccant: see imnec- ;,._. ,,r :..,]:,.;. i,:j_; !,*_..,*: 
im- 
na- 
can(t-)s, 'inpeccan(t-)s, impeccant: see impec- 
cant."] Same as impeccancy. 
impeccancy (im-pek'an-si), n. The condition love . ' w _ Montague, Devoute Essays, "II. vit i s. 
ture of impediment ; hindering; obstructing. 
The impedimental stain which intercepts her fruitive 
pcditus, pp. of impedire, inpedire, impede: see 
She the Church of Rome] stands upon it, that she can- Cmvfa ft prnerlitr 1 1 Tn irnnpHn 
not erre, and stubboi nely chalenges unto her chalre a cer- ""P eae - M- expedite.) 1. io impede, 
tain imptccancie of judgment. Digestion in the stomach, and other faculties there, 
Bp. Hall, No Peace with Rome, seemed not to be much impedited. Boyle, Works, VI. 467. 
impeccant (im-pek'ant), a. [= Sp. impecante, 2. In astral., to affect by evil stars. 
< LL. impeccan(t-)s, *inpcccaH(t-)s (in deriv. The raoon i9 imp edited in the highest degree when in 
noun), < L. in- priv. + peccan(t-)s, sinning, sin- conjunction with the sun. l.illii. 
ful, pj ( r. of pcccare, sin: seepeccant.] Doing no {mpeditet (im'pe-dit), a. [= Sp. Pg. impedido 
wrong; sinless; unerring. _ it. impecKto.< L. impeditus, inpeditus, pp.: see 
With a vengeance selecting, from all other classes, the verb.] Hindered; obstructed. 
Poor dogs of some sort, and fMOMOMi half-asses. 
fivrom To 0. Lloyd Ou . r constitution is weak, our souls apt to diminution 
and imvedite faculties, 
impectmate (im-pek'ti-nat), a. [< n-3 + per- Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835\ I. 900. 
impecunious v _. ._ _ 
/iiruiiiciix; as 'n-3 + pecuiiious.'] Having no 
money; poor; penniless. 
Who let In that rag there amongst us? Put him out, an 
impecunious creature. B. Jontton, Cynthia's Revels, v. 2. 
The other impecunious person contrived to make both 
ends meet by shifting his lodgings from time to time. 
W. Black. 
structive; impeding. 
There are other cases concerning things unlawful by 
accident* in respect to the evil effect of the same : to wit, 
as they may be impeditive of good, or causative, or at the 
least (for we must use such words) occasionative of evil. 
Bp. Sanderson, Promissory Oaths, lit $ 11. 
What were more easy than to say that six legs to that 
unweildy body had been cumbersome and impeditive of 
cuit. pi>r.ii]}c/lini/. [Formerly also i'nipe?/; =OF.tm- 
A few words may suffice to explain the nature of the peller = Sp. impcler = Pg. t w/)C/H r = It. impellere, 
impedance which nlternatim,' currents meet with in pass- < L. iixjx'lh re, iiipetlere, push, drive, or strike 
ing through a conductor. Elect. Rev. (Eng.), XXIV. 518. against, drive forward, urge, impel, < in, on, + 
impede (im-ped'), r. t. ;pret. and pp. impeded, iiellcrc, drive. Cf. fumju-l, crpd, iiropd, /<///'. 
ppr. impeding. [= Sp. Pg. impt'dir = It. impc- Hence impulse, etc.] To drive or urge forward ; 
dire, < L. impedire, inpedire, entangle, iusnare, press on; incite or constrain to action in any 
impenetrable 
way : as, steam is the impellimj force of a loco- 
motive. 
The wave behind impel* the wave before. 
Dryden, tr. of Ovid's Metamorph., xv. 271. 
Practice . . . urges and impclt to action, choice, and 
determination. liaci.n, 1'hyslcal Fables, x., Expl. 
And shame and doubt imjiell'd him in a course 
Once so abhorr'd, with unnaUted force. 
Crabke, Worki, V. 19. 
With tin- and sword 
Come Spoilers, horde impelling horde. 
Wordncortn, The Highland Broach. 
= 8yn. Prompt, Induce, etc. (see actuate); to Influence, 
push on, force on, move, lead, set on. (See list under 
incite.) 
impellent (im-pel'ent), a. and n. [< L. impel- 
len(t-)s, inpellen(t-)*, ppr. of impellere, inpellere, 
drive forward: see impel.'] I. a. Having the 
property of impelling. 
Snch ponderous bodies do take an enforc'd flight from 
an exterior impellent swlftiieaa. Boyle, Works, VI. 427. 
II. ;. A power or force that impels or drives 
forward; motive or impelling power. 
S. What do you mean by voluntary oaths? 
C. Those that no other impellent but myself, or my own 
worldly gain or Interest extort from me. 
Hammond, Pract Catechism, ii. 8. 
impeller (im-pel'er), n. One who or that which 
impels. 
Is It possible to be an effect produced without a cause ? 
Is it [a moving stone) impelled without an impeller! 
Clarke, Second Defence of the Immateriality, etc. 
He (Ignatius] is by his very nature an impeller of men. 
Quarterly Kiev., CLXII. 470. 
impen (im-pen'), v. t.; pret. and pp. impenned 
or inipent, ppr. impending. [< ii-l + pen*.] To 
pen m ; confine or inclose in a narrow place. 
Yet these from other streames much different ; 
For others, as they longer, broader grow ; 
These, as they run in narrow banks impent. 
Are then at least, when in the main they flow. 
P. Fletcher, Purple Island, UL 
But notwithstanding all this, a man at rest In his cham- 
ber (like a sheep imjifnn'd in the fold) Is subject only to 
unusual events, and such as rarely happen. 
Felthain, Resolves, II. 59. 
impend (im-pend'), c. [= Pg. impender = It. 
impendere, < L. impendere, inpendere, hang over, 
overhang, be imminent, < in, on, + penderc, 
hang: see pendent.] I. intrans. To overhang; 
be ready to fall; be imminent; threaten; be 
on the point of occurring, as something evil. 
Destruction hangs o'er yon devoted wall, 
And nodding Ilion waits th' itintrndinij fall. 
Pope, Iliad, ii. 
An extensive lake displayed Its glassy bosom, reflecting 
on its broad surface the impending horrors of the moun- 
tain. Qoldtmith, Asem. 
II. t trans. To hang over. [Rare.] 
We seriously consider the dreadful judgments that now 
impend the nation. Penn, Liberty of Conscience, Fref. 
impendence, impendency (im-pen'dens, -den- 
si), . [< impendcH(t) + -ce, -ry.] The state 
of being impendent or overhanging; a mena- 
cing attitude. 
Far above, In thunder-blue serration, stand the eternal 
edges of the angry Apennine, dark with rolling <IJ*M- 
dence of volcanic cloud. Ituxkin. 
impendent (im-pen'dent). a. [= Pg. It. i- 
pendente, < L. iipendeii(t-)8, inpenden(t-)s, ppr. 
of impendere. inpendere, impend: see impend.] 
Impending; imminent; threatening: as, an im- 
pendent evil. 
What if all 
Her stores were open'd, and this firmament 
Of hell should spout her cataracts of fire, 
Impendent honours, threatening hideous fall 
One day upon our heads? Milton, P. L., U. 177. 
Lo! with upright sword 
Prefiguring his own impendent doom, 
The Apostle of the Gentile*. 
Wordsmirth, Near Aqnapendente. 
impenetrability (im-pen'e-tra-biri-ti), . [= 
F. impenetrabilite = Sp. impenetrabilidad = Pg. 
impenetrabilidade = It. impenetrabilitA ; as im- 
penetrable + -ity: see -bility.] 1. The char- 
acter or condition of being impenetrable; in- 
capability of being penetrated, in any sense 
of that word. 2. Inphuftics, specifically, that 
property of matter which prevents two bodies 
from occupying the same space at the same 
time ; that property of matter by which it ex- 
cludes all other matter from the space it occu- 
pies. 
Matter possesses impenetrability, which means that no 
two portions of matter can occupy the same place at the 
same time. 
W. L. Carpenter, Energy in Nature (1st ed.), p. 11. 
impenetrable (im-pen'e-tra-bl), a. [= F. im- 
lii'iif'trtiblc = Sp. iiiijii mil-able = Pg. impenetrn- 
rel = It. iiiipi-Hctntliilc, < I>. iHijii-intrnbilin. m- 
ixnctrabilis, not penetrable, < in- priv. -I- i>ene- 
