Chapter 777

Im*pas`si*bil"i*ty (?) , a. [L. impassibilitas : cf. F. impassibilit\'82 .] The quality or condition of being impassible; insusceptibility of injury from external things.

Impassible <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"si*ble (?) , a. [L. impassibilis ; pref. im- not + passibilis passable: cf. F. impassible . See Passible .] Incapable of suffering; inaccessible to harm or pain; not to be touched or moved to passion or sympathy; unfeeling, or not showing feeling; without sensation. " Impassible to the critic."

Sir W. Scott.

Secure of death, I should contemn thy dart Though naked, and impassible depart. Dryden.

Impassibleness <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"si*ble*ness , n. Impassibility.

Impassion <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sion (?) , v. t. [Pref. im- in + passion . Cf. Empassion , Impassionate , v .] To move or affect strongly with passion. [Archaic]

Chapman.

Impassionable <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sion*a*ble (?) , a. Excitable; susceptible of strong emotion.

Impassionate <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sion*ate (?) , a. Strongly affected.

Smart.

Impassionate <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sion*ate (?) , v. t. To affect powerfully; to arouse the passions of.

Dr. H. More.

Impassionate <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sion*ate (?) , a. [Pref. im- not + passionate .] Without passion or feeling.

Burton.

Impassioned <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sioned (?) , p. p. & a. Actuated or characterized by passion or zeal; showing warmth of feeling; ardent; animated; excited; as, an impassioned orator or discourse .

Impassive <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"sive (?) , a. Not susceptible of pain or suffering; apathetic; impassible; unmoved.

Impassive as the marble in the quarry. De Quincey.

On the impassive ice the lightings play. Pope.

-- Im*pas"sive*ly , adv. -- Im*pas"sive*ness , n.

Impassivity <Xpage=733>

Im`pas*siv"i*ty (?) , n. The quality of being insusceptible of feeling, pain, or suffering; impassiveness.

Impastation <Xpage=733>

Im`pas*ta"tion (?) , n. [F. See Impaste .] The act of making into paste; that which is formed into a paste or mixture; specifically, a combination of different substances by means of cements.

Impaste <Xpage=733>

Im*paste" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impasted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impasting .] [Pref. im- in + paste : cf. It. impastare , OF. empaster , F. emp\'83ter . See 1st In- and Paste .] 1. To knead; to make into paste; to concrete. "Blood . . . baked and impasted ."

Shak.

2. (Paint.) To lay color on canvas by uniting them skillfully together. [R.] Cf. Impasto .

Impasting <Xpage=733>

Im*past"ing , (Paint.) The laying on of colors to produce impasto.

Impasto <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"to (?) , n. [It. See Impaste .] (Paint.) The thickness of the layer or body of pigment applied by the painter to his canvas with especial reference to the juxtaposition of different colors and tints in forming a harmonious whole.

Fairholt.

Impasture <Xpage=733>

Im*pas"ture (?) , v. t. To place in a pasture; to foster. [R.]

T. Adams.

Impatible <Xpage=733>

Im*pat"i*ble (?) , a. [L. impatibilis ; pref. im- not + patibilis supportable. See Patible .] 1. Not capable of being borne; impassible.

A spirit, and so impatible of material fire. Fuller.

Impatience <Xpage=733>

Im*pa"tience (?) n. [OE. impacience , F. impatience , fr. L. impatientia .] The quality of being impatient; want of endurance of pain, suffering, opposition, or delay; eagerness for change, or for something expected; restlessness; chafing of spirit; fretfulness; passion; as, the impatience of a child or an invalid .

I then, . . . Out of my grief and my impatience , Answered neglectingly. Shak.

With huge impatience he inly swelt More for great sorrow that he could not pass, Than for the burning torment which he felt. Spenser.

<page="734"> Page 734

Impatiency <Xpage=734>

Im*pa"tien*cy (?) , n. Impatience. [Obs.]

Impatiens <Xpage=734>

Im*pa"ti*ens (?) , n. [L., impatient.] (Bot.) A genus of plants, several species of which have very beautiful flowers; -- so called because the elastic capsules burst when touched, and scatter the seeds with considerable force. Called also touch-me-not , jewelweed , and snapweed . I. Balsamina (sometimes called lady's slipper ) is the common garden balsam.

Impatient <Xpage=734>

Im*pa"tient (?) , a. [OE. impacient , F. impatient , fr. L. impatiens ; pref. im- not + patiens patient. See Patient .] 1. Not patient; not bearing with composure; intolerant; uneasy; fretful; restless, because of pain, delay, or opposition; eager for change, or for something expected; hasty; passionate; -- often followed by at , for , of , and under .

A violent, sudden, and impatient necessity. Jer. Taylor.

Fame, impatient of extremes, decays Not more by envy than excess of praise. Pope.

The impatient man will not give himself time to be informed of the matter that lies before him. Addison.

Dryden was poor and impatient of poverty. Macaulay.

2. Not to be borne; unendurable. [Obs.]

Spenser.

3. Prompted by, or exhibiting, impatience; as, impatient speeches or replies .

Shak.

Syn. -- Restless; uneasy; changeable; hot; eager; fretful; intolerant; passionate.

Impatient <Xpage=734>

Im*pa"tient , n. One who is impatient. [R.]

Impatiently <Xpage=734>

Im*pa"tient*ly , adv. In an impatient manner.

Impatronization <Xpage=734>

Im*pat`ron*i*za"tion (?) , n. Absolute seignory or possession; the act of investing with such possession. [R.]

Cotgrave.

Impatronize <Xpage=734>

Im*pat"ron*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impatronized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impatronizing (?) .] To make lord or master; as, to impatronize one's self of a seigniory . [R.]

Bacon.

Impave <Xpage=734>

Im*pave" (?) , v. t. To pave. [Poetic]

Impaved with rude fidelity Of art mosaic. Wordsworth.

Impavid <Xpage=734>

Im*pav"id (?) , a. [L. impavidus . See In- not, and Pavid .] Fearless. -- Im*pav"id*ly , adv.

Impawn <Xpage=734>

Im*pawn" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impawned (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impawning .] [Pref. im- + pawn : cf. Empawn .] To put in pawn; to pledge.

Shak.

Impeach <Xpage=734>

Im*peach" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impeached (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impeaching .] [OE. empeechier to prevent, hinder, bar, F. emp\'88cher , L. impedicare to entangle; pref. im- in + pedica fetter, fr. pes , pedis , foot. See Foot , and Appeach , Dispatch , Impede .] 1. To hinder; to impede; to prevent. [Obs.]

These ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land. Sir J. Davies.

A defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance. Howell.

2. To charge with a crime or misdemeanor; to accuse; especially to charge (a public officer), before a competent tribunal, with misbehavior in office; to cite before a tribunal for judgement of official misconduct; to arraign; as, to impeach a judge . See Impeachment .

3. Hence, to charge with impropriety; to dishonor; to bring discredit on; to call in question; as, to impeach one's motives or conduct .

And doth impeach the freedom of the state. Shak.

4. (Law) To challenge or discredit the credibility of, as of a witness, or the validity of, as of commercial paper.

&hand; When used in law with reference to a witness, the term signifies, to discredit, to show or prove unreliable or unworthy of belief; when used in reference to the credit of witness, the term denotes, to impair, to lessen, to disparage, to destroy. The credit of a witness may be impeached by showing that he has made statements out of court contradictory to what he swears at the trial, or by showing that his reputation for veracity is bad, etc.

Syn. -- To accuse; arraign; censure; criminate; indict; impair; disparage; discredit. See Accuse .

Impeach <Xpage=734>

Im*peach" , n. Hindrance; impeachment. [Obs.]

Impeachable <Xpage=734>

Im*peach"a*ble (?) , a. That may be impeached; liable to impeachment; chargeable with a crime.

Owners of lands in fee simple are not impeachable for waste. Z. Swift.

Impeacher <Xpage=734>

Im*peach"er (?) , n. One who impeaches.

Impeachment <Xpage=734>

Im*peach"ment (?) , n. [Cf. F. emp\'88chement .] The act of impeaching, or the state of being impeached ; as: (a) Hindrance; impediment; obstruction. [Obs.]

Willing to march on to Calais, Without impeachment . Shak.

(b) A calling to account; arraignment; especially, of a public officer for maladministration .

The consequence of Coriolanus' impeachment had like to have been fatal to their state. Swift.

(c) A calling in question as to purity of motives, rectitude of conduct, credibility, etc.; accusation; reproach; as, an impeachment of motives .

Shak.

&hand; In England, it is the privilege or right of the House of Commons to impeach, and the right of the House of Lords to try and determine impeachments. In the United States, it is the right of the House of Representatives to impeach, and of the Senate to try and determine impeachments.

Articles of impeachment . See under Article . -- Impeachment of waste (Law) , restraint from, or accountability for, injury; also, a suit for damages for injury.

Abbott.

Impearl <Xpage=734>

Im*pearl" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impearled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impearling .] [Pref. im- in + pearl : cf. F. emperler .] 1. To form into pearls, or into that which resembles pearls. [Poetic]

Dewdrops which the sun Impearls on every leaf and every flower. Milton.

2. To decorate as with pearls or with anything resembling pearls. [Poetic]

With morning dews impearled . Mrs. Browning.

The dews of the morning impearl every thorn. R. Digby.

Impeccability <Xpage=734>

Im*pec`ca*bil"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. impeccabilit\'82 .] the quality of being impeccable; exemption from sin, error, or offense.

Infallibility and impeccability are two of his attributes. Pope.

Impeccable <Xpage=734>

Im*pec"ca*ble (?) , a. [L. impeccabilis ; pref. im- not + peccare to err, to sin: cf. F. impeccable .] Not liable to sin; exempt from the possibility of doing wrong. -- n. One who is impeccable; esp., one of a sect of Gnostic heretics who asserted their sinlessness.

God is infallible, impeccable , and absolutely perfect. P. Skelton.

Impeccancy <Xpage=734>

Im*pec"can*cy (?) , n. Sinlessness.

Bp. Hall.

Impeccant <Xpage=734>

Im*pec"cant (?) , a. Sinless; impeccable.

Byron.

Impecuniosity <Xpage=734>

Im`pe*cu`ni*os"i*ty (?) , n. The state of being impecunious.

Thackeray. Sir W. Scott.

Impecunious <Xpage=734>

Im"pe*cu"ni*ous (?) , a. [L. im- not + pecunia money: cf. F. imp\'82cunieux .] Not having money; habitually without money; poor.

An impecunious creature. B. Jonson.

Impede <Xpage=734>

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 of troops .

Whatever hinders or impedes The action of the nobler will. Logfellow.

Impedible <Xpage=734>

Im*ped"i*ble (?) , a. Capable of being impeded or hindered. [R.]

Jer. Taylor.

Impediment <Xpage=734>

Im*ped"i*ment (?) , n. [L. impedimentum : cf. F. impediment .] That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect.

Thus far into the bowels of the land Have we marched on without impediment . Shak.

Impediment in speech , a defect which prevents distinct utterance.

Syn. -- Hindrance; obstruction; obstacle; difficulty; incumbrance. -- Impediment , Obstacle , Difficulty , Hindrance . An impediment literally strikes against our feet, checking our progress, and we remove it. An obstacle rises before us in our path, and we surmount or remove it. A difficulty sets before us something hard to be done, and we encounter it and overcome it. A hindrance holds us back for a time, but we break away from it.

The eloquence of Demosthenes was to Philip of Macedon, a difficulty to be met with his best recources, ant obstacle to his own ambition, and an impedimen in his political career. C. J. Smith.

Impediment <Xpage=734>

Im*ped"i*ment , v. t. To impede. [R.]

Bp. Reynolds.

Impedimental <Xpage=734>

Im*ped`i*men"tal (?) , a. Of the nature of an impediment; hindering; obstructing; impeditive.

Things so impediental to success. G. H. Lewes.

Impedite <Xpage=734>

Im"pe*dite (?) , a. [L. impeditus , p. p. See Impede .] Hindered; obstructed. [R.]

Jer. Taylor.

Impedite <Xpage=734>

Im"pe*dite , v. t. To impede. [Obs.]

Boyle.

Impedition <Xpage=734>

Im"pe*di"tion (?) , n. [L. impeditio .] A hindering; a hindrance. [Obs.]

Baxier.

Impeditive <Xpage=734>

Im*ped"i*tive (?) , a. [Cf. F. imp\'82ditif .] Causing hindrance; impeding. "Cumbersome, and impeditive of motion."

Bp. Hall.

Impel <Xpage=734>

Im*pel" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impelled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impelling .] [L. impellere ; pref. im- in + pellere , pulsum , to drive. See Pulse a beat, and cf. Impulse .] To drive or urge forward or on; to press on; to incite to action or motion in any way.

The surge impelled me on a craggy coast. Pope.

Syn. -- To instigate; incite; induce; influence; force; drive; urge; actuate; move.

Impellent <Xpage=734>

Im*pel"lent (?) , a. [L. impellens , p. pr. of impellere .] Having the quality of impelling.

Impellent <Xpage=734>

Im*pel"lent , n. An impelling power or force.

Glanvill.

Impeller <Xpage=734>

Im*pel"ler (?) , n. One who, or that which, impels.

Impen <Xpage=734>

Im*pen" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impenned (?) and Impent (<?/) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impenning .] To shut up or inclose, as in a pen.

Feltham.

Impend <Xpage=734>

Im*pend" (?) , v. t. [L. impend<?/re ; pref. im- in + pend<?/re to weigh out, pay.] To pay. [Obs.]

Fabyan.

Impend <Xpage=734>

Im*pend" , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Impended ; p. pr. & vb. n. Impending .] [L. impend\'c7re ; pref. im- in + pend\'c7re to hang. See Pendant .] To hang over; to be suspended above; to threaten frome near at hand; to menace; to be imminent. See Imminent .

Destruction sure o'er all your heads impends . Pope.

Impendence, Impendency <Xpage=734>

Im*pend"ence (?) , Im*pend"en*cy (?) , n. The state of impending; also, that which impends. " Impendence of volcanic cloud."

Ruskin.

Impendent <Xpage=734>

Im*pend"ent (?) , a. [L. impendens , p. pr. of impend\'c7re .] Impending; threatening.

Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall. Milton.

Impending <Xpage=734>

Im*pend"ing , a. Hanging over; overhanging; suspended so as to menace; imminet; threatening.

An impending brow. Hawthorne.

And nodding Ilion waits th' impending fall. Pope.

Syn. -- Imminent; threatening. See Imminent .

Impenetrability <Xpage=734>

Im*pen`e*tra*bil"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. imp\'82n\'82trabilit\'82 .] 1. Quality of being impenetrable.

2. (Physics) That property in virtue of which two portions of matter can not at the same time occupy the same portion of space.

3. Insusceptibility of intellectual or emotional impression; obtuseness; stupidity; coldness.

Impenetrable <Xpage=734>

Im*pen"e*tra*ble (?) , a. [L. impenetrabilis ; pref. im- not + penetrabilis penetrable: cf. F. imp\'82n\'82trable .] 1. Incapable of being penetrated or pierced; not admitting the passage of other bodies; not to be entered; impervious; as, an impenetrable shield .

Highest woods impenetrable To star or sunlight. Milton.

2. (Physics) Having the property of preventing any other substance from occupying the same space at the same time.

3. Inaccessible, as to knowledge, reason, sympathy, etc.; unimpressible; not to be moved by arguments or motives; as, an impenetrable mind, or heart .

They will be credulous in all affairs of life, but impenetrable by a sermon of the gospel. Jer. Taylor.

Impenetrableness <Xpage=734>

Im*pen"e*tra*ble*ness (?) , n. The quality of being impenetrable; impenetrability.

Impenetrably <Xpage=734>

Im*pen"e*tra*bly , adv. In an impenetrable manner or state; imperviously. " Impenetrably armed." Milton . " Impenetrably dull." Pope .

Impenitence <Xpage=734>

Im*pen"i*tence (?) , n. [L. impenitentia : cf. F. imp\'82nitence .] The condition of being impenitent; failure or refusal to repent; hardness of heart.

He will advance from one degree of wickedness and impenitence to another. Rogers.

Impenitency <Xpage=734>

Im*pen"i*ten*cy (?) , n. Impenitence.

Milton.