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impinge

[im-pinj]

verb (used without object)

to make an impression; have an effect or impact (usually followed by on or upon): to impinge upon the imagination; social pressures that impinge upon one's daily life.

to encroach; infringe (usually followed by on or upon): to impinge on another's rights.

to strike; dash; collide (usually followed by on, upon, or against): rays of light impinging on the eye.

verb (used with object)

Obsolete. to come into violent contact with.

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Impinge is one of our favorite verbs.

So is lollygag. Does it mean:

to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

to spend time idly; loaf.

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Origin:
1525–35; < Medieval Latin impingere to strike against, drive at, equivalent to Latin im- im-¹ + -pingere, combining form of pangere to fasten, drive in, fix; see impact

Related forms

im·ping·ent, adjective

im·ping·er, noun

im·pinge·ment, noun

un·im·ping·ing, adjective

Can be confused: infringe, impinge.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To impinge

Example Sentences

Seldom does something that benefits so few impinge on the pleasure of so many.

And when they impinge upon other students experience, it's time for them to take it outside.

Of course, if the minimum were so low as to impinge on none of the wage bargains actually being struck, there would be no effect.

EXPAND

Seldom does something that benefits so few impinge on the pleasure of so many.

And when they impinge upon other students experience, it's time for them to take it outside.

Of course, if the minimum were so low as to impinge on none of the wage bargains actually being struck, there would be no effect.

Land development practices not only increase the fire risk but also impinge on wildlife habitats.

But when they impinge upon a moron they set off his hormones, and so they are justifiably feared.

The president's comments are unlikely to impinge to heavily on the city's business.

Human activities simply impinge in too many ways on the well-being of animal populations.

It's a mediator of all the voices that impinge on it.

The difficulty is that sound reflections in the concert hall impinge on the listener from all directions.

Clogged court calendars can hamper the prosecution of a case and impinge on defendants' rights.

The evolutionary and biological natures of human speech and language directly impinge on two issues.

His administration has taken steps that radically impinge on the right to counsel and other fundamental liberties.

They also don't tend to impinge on traditional faculty teaching loads in spring and fall semesters.

Especially in a world where your own enjoyment of it doesn't impinge on anybody else's.

Alas, there are other things that impinge on the sporting merit.

None of these are probably earthshattering events in themselves–but they all impinge on your ability to structure your.

Yet if those systems seriously impinge on people's freedom, many people will balk.

When climate change finally does impinge on their business, they'll probably take action to adapt to.

Arad is fending off a veritable forest at the site and dealing with how the trees might impinge on the memorial below.

There undoubtedly some fair points being made here about market forces and how they impinge on salary and hiring practices.

The great advantage their imaginary artists have is that their works don't impinge on reality.

It need not even affect benefits to current retirees or impinge on the recovery.

The realities of death rarely impinge so close to the sporting life.

One people's independence should not impinge on the existence of another people.

Moynihan said new financial regulations could impinge on revenue as the year progressed.

Whatever other ideas may impinge on his consciousness from time to time, he always falls back on storytelling.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

impinge (ɪmˈpɪndʒ)

—vb
1.	(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to encroach or infringe; trespass: to impinge on someone's time
2.	(intr; usually foll by on, against, or upon) to collide (with); strike

[C16: from Latin impingere to drive at, dash against, from pangere to fasten, drive in]

im'pingement

—n

im'pinger

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

impinge

1530s, from L. impingere "drive into, strike against," from in- "in" + pangere "to fix, fasten." Sense of "encroach, infringe" first recorded 1758.

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Matching Quote

"We hear the haunting presentiment of a dutiful middle age in the current reluctance of young people to select any option except the one they feel will impinge upon them the least."

-Gail Sheehy

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