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impinge - 4 dictionary results

im⋅pinge

  [im-pinj] verb, -pinged, -ping⋅ing.
Use impinge in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to make an impression; have an effect or impact (usually fol. by on or upon): to impinge upon the imagination; social pressures that impinge upon one's daily life.
2. to encroach; infringe (usually fol. by on or upon): to impinge on another's rights.
3. to strike; dash; collide (usually fol. by on, upon, or against): rays of light impinging on the eye.
–verb (used with object)
4. Obsolete. to come into violent contact with.
Origin:
1525–35; < ML impingere to strike against, drive at, equiv. to L im- im- 1 + -pingere, comb. form of pangere to fasten, drive in, fix; see impact

Related forms:
im⋅ping⋅ent, adjective
im⋅ping⋅er, noun
im⋅pinge⋅ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To impinge
im·pinge   (ĭm-pĭnj')   
v.   im·pinged, im·ping·ing, im·ping·es

v.   intr.
  1. To collide or strike: Sound waves impinge on the eardrum.
  2. To encroach; trespass: Do not impinge on my privacy.
v.   tr.
To encroach upon: "One of a democratic government's continuing challenges is finding a way to protect . . . secrets without impinging the liberties that democracy exists to protect" (Christian Science Monitor).

[Latin impingere : in-, against; see in-2 + pangere, to fasten; see pag- in Indo-European roots.]
im·pinge'ment n., im·ping'er 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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Impinge

Im*pinge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impinged; p. pr. & vb. n. Impinging.] [L. impingere; pref. im- in + pangere to fix, strike; prob. akin to pacisci to agree, contract. See Pact, and cf. Impact.] To fall or dash against; to touch upon; to strike; to hit; to ciash with; -- with on or upon.

The cause of reflection is not the impinging of light on the solid or impervious parts of bodies. --Sir I. Newton.

But, in the present order of things, not to be employed without impinging on God's justice. --Bp. Warburton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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impinge 
1535, from L. impingere "drive into, strike against," from in- "in" + pangere "to fix, fasten." Sense of "encroach, infringe" first recorded 1758.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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