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impair

 - 6 dictionary results

im⋅pair

  [im-pair]
Use impair in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to make or cause to become worse; diminish in ability, value, excellence, etc.; weaken or damage: to impair one's health; to impair negotiations.
–verb (used without object)
2. to grow or become worse; lessen.
–noun
3. Archaic. impairment.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME empairen, empeiren to make worse < MF empeirer, equiv. to em- im- 1 + peirer to make worse < LL pējōrāre, equiv. to L pējōr-, s. of pējor worse + -ā- thematic vowel + -re inf. suffix; cf. pejorative

Related forms:
im⋅pair⋅a⋅ble, adjective
im⋅pair⋅er, noun
im⋅pair⋅ment, noun

Synonyms:
1. See injure.

Antonyms:
1. repair.

im⋅pair

  [an-per]
–adjective French.
noting any odd number, esp. in roulette.
Compare pair.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To impair
im·pair   (ĭm-pâr')   
tr.v.   im·paired, im·pair·ing, im·pairs
To cause to diminish, as in strength, value, or quality: an injury that impaired my hearing; a severe storm impairing communications.

[Middle English empairen, from Old French empeirer, from Vulgar Latin *impēiōrāre : Latin in-, causative pref.; see in-2 + Late Latin pēiōrāre, to worsen (from Latin pēior, worse; see ped- in Indo-European roots).]
im·pair'ment n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

impair 
c.1374, earlier ampayre, apeyre (1297), from O.Fr. empeirier, from V.L. *impejorare "make worse," from L. in- "into" + L.L. pejorare "make worse," from pejor "worse." In ref. to driving under the influence of alcohol, first recorded 1951 in Canadian Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: im·pair
Pronunciation: im-'per
Function: transitive verb
1 : to damage or make worse by or as if by diminishing <impaired health>
2 : to diminish the value of (property or property rights); specifically : to diminish the value of (legal contractual obligations) to the point that a party loses the benefit of the contract or the contract otherwise becomes invalid impairing a state's own obligations was entitled to less deference —Gerald Gunther> —see also CONTRACT CLAUSE —im·pair·ment noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: im·pair
Pronunciation: im-'pa(&)r, -'pe(&)r
Function: transitive verb
: to damage or make worse by or as if by diminishing in somematerial respect impaired by overwork> —im·pair·ment /-'pa(&)r-m&nt/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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