impede

  • 1Impede — Im*pede , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Impeded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Impeding}.] [L. impedire, lit., to entangle the feet; pref. im in + pes, pedis, foot. See {Foot}, and cf. {Impeach}.] To hinder; to stop in progress; to obstruct; as, to impede the advance …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2impede — I verb annul, arrest, barricade, be a drag on, be an obstacle to, be in the way, block, blockade, bolt, bother, brake, bring to a standstill, burden, cause to delay, check, circumscribe, confine, cramp, cumber, curb, dam up, deadlock, decelerate …

    Law dictionary

  • 3impede — (v.) c.1600, back formation from impediment, or else from L. impedire impede, be in the way, hinder, detain, lit. to shackle the feet (see IMPEDIMENT (Cf. impediment)). Related: Impeded; impedes; impeding …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4impede — *hinder, obstruct, block, bar, dam Analogous words: clog, *hamper, fetter, trammel, shackle, manacle, hog tie: *embarrass, discomfit, disconcert, rattle, faze: thwart, baffle, balk, *frustrate Antonyms: assist: promote Contrasted words: * …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5impede — [v] obstruct, hinder bar, block, blow whistle on*, brake, check, clog, close off, cramp one’s style*, curb, cut off, dam, delay, deter, discomfit, disconcert, disrupt, embarrass, faze, flag one*, freeze, hamper, hang up, hold up, interfere,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6impede — ► VERB ▪ delay or block the progress or action of. ORIGIN Latin impedire shackle the feet of , from pes foot …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7impede — [im pēd′] vt. impeded, impeding [L impedire, to entangle, ensnare, lit., to hold the feet < in , in + pes (gen. pedis), FOOT] to bar or hinder the progress of; obstruct or delay SYN. HINDER1 impeder n …

    English World dictionary

  • 8impede — UK [ɪmˈpiːd] / US [ɪmˈpɪd] verb [transitive] Word forms impede : present tense I/you/we/they impede he/she/it impedes present participle impeding past tense impeded past participle impeded formal to make it more difficult for someone to do… …

    English dictionary

  • 9impede — verb ADVERB ▪ greatly, seriously, severely, significantly ▪ The bad weather seriously impeded our progress. Impede is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ability, ↑development, ↑ …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 10impede — [[t]ɪmpi͟ːd[/t]] impedes, impeding, impeded VERB If you impede someone or something, you make their movement, development, or progress difficult. [FORMAL] [V n] Debris and fallen rock are impeding the progress of the rescue workers. Syn: hinder,… …

    English dictionary