Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

impasse

 - 4 dictionary results

im⋅passe

  [im-pas, im-pas]
Use impasse in a Sentence
–noun
1. a position or situation from which there is no escape; deadlock.
2. a road or way that has no outlet; cul-de-sac.
Origin:
1850–55; < F, equiv. to im- im- 2 + -passe, s. of passer to pass

Synonyms:
1. stalemate, standstill, standoff, dead end.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To impasse
im·passe   (ĭm'pās')   
n.  

  1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac.

  2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations.


[French : in-, not (from Latin in-; see in-1) + passe, a passing (from Old French, from passer, to pass; see pass).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

impasse 
1851, from Fr. impasse "impassable road, blind alley, impasse," from in- "not" + M.Fr. passe "a passing," from passer "to pass." Supposedly coined by Voltaire as a euphemism for cul de sac.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: im·passe
Pronunciation: 'im-"pas, im-'pas
Function: noun
: a point in esp. labor negotiations at which reaching an agreement is impossible because neither party is willing to compromise or change position
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see impasse on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way