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im·pos·si·ble
Audio Help / ɪmˈpɒs ə bəl / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ im-pos -uh -buh l ] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective 1. not possible; unable to be, exist, happen, etc.
2. unable to be done, performed, effected, etc.: an impossible assignment.
3. incapable of being true, as a rumor.
4. not to be done, endured, etc., with any degree of reason or propriety: an impossible situation.
5. utterly impracticable: an impossible plan.
6. hopelessly unsuitable, difficult, or objectionable.
[Origin:
1250–1300; ME < L
impossibilis. See im- 2 , possible ]
—Related forms im·pos·si·ble·ness, noun
im·pos·si·bly, adverb
—Synonyms 6 . unbearable, intolerable, unmanageable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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im·pos·si·ble
Audio Help (ĭm-pŏs'ə-bəl) Pronunciation Key
adj.
Incapable of having existence or of occurring.
Not capable of being accomplished: an impossible goal.
Unacceptable; intolerable: impossible behavior.
Extremely difficult to deal with or tolerate: an impossible child; an impossible situation.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin impossibilis : in- , not ; see in- 1 + possibilis , possible ; see possible .]
im·pos'si·bly adv.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet -
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impossible adjective 1. not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with; "an impossible dream"; "an impossible situation" [ant: possible ] 2. totally unlikely 3. used of persons or their behavior; "impossible behavior"; "insufferable insolence" noun 1. something that cannot be done; "his assignment verged on the impossible"
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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impossible 1 [imˈposəbl] adjective
that cannot be or be done
Example:
It is impossible to sing and drink at the same time; an impossible task
Arabic: غَيْر مُمْكِن، مُسْتَحيل
Chinese (Simplified): 不可能的
Chinese (Traditional): 不可能的
Czech: nemožný
Danish: umulig
Dutch: onmogelijk
Estonian: võimatu
Finnish: mahdoton
French: impossible
German: unmöglich
Greek: αδύνατος, ανέφικτος
Hungarian: lehetetlen
Icelandic: ómögulegur, ógerlegur
Indonesian: mustahil
Italian: impossibile
Japanese: 不可能な
Korean: 불가능한
Latvian: neiespējams
Lithuanian: neįmanomas
Norwegian: umulig, uoverkommelig
Polish: niemożliwy
Portuguese (Brazil): impossível
Portuguese (Portugal): impossível
Romanian: imposibil
Russian: невозможный
Slovak: nemožný
Slovenian: nemogoč
Spanish: imposible
Swedish: omöjlig
Turkish: imkânsız, olanaksız
impossible 2 [imˈposəbl] adjective
hopelessly bad or wrong
Example:
That child's behaviour is quite impossible.
Arabic: لا يُطاق
Chinese (Simplified): 非常讨厌的
Chinese (Traditional): 非常討厭的
Czech: nesnesitelný
Danish: umulig
Dutch: onmogelijk
Estonian: võimatu
Finnish: mahdoton
French: insupportable
German: unmöglich
Greek: ανυπόφορος, απαράδεκτος
Hungarian: képtelen
Icelandic: óþolandi
Indonesian: sangat buruk
Italian: insopportabile
Japanese: ひどい
Korean: 참을 수 없는, 몹시 싫은
Latvian: neciešams; nepanesams
Lithuanian: nepakenčiamas
Norwegian: umulig
Polish: nieznośny
Portuguese (Brazil): impossível
Portuguese (Portugal): impossível
Romanian: insuportabil
Russian: несносный
Slovak: neznesiteľný, neprijateľný
Slovenian: nemogoč
Spanish: imposible
Swedish: omöjlig, outhärdlig
Turkish: çekilmez, tahammül edilemez
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Impossible
Im*pos"si*ble\, a. [F., fr. L. impossibilis; pref. im- not + possibilis possible. See
Possible .] Not possible; incapable of being done, of existing, etc.; unattainable in the nature of things, or by means at command; insuperably difficult under the circumstances; absurd or impracticable; not feasible.
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. --Matt. xix. 26.
Without faith it is impossible to please him. --Heb. xi. 6.
Impossible quantity (Math.), an imagnary quantity. See
Imaginary .
Syn: See
Impracticable .
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Impossible
Im*pos"si*ble\, n. An impossibility. [Obs.]
"Madam," quoth he, "this were an impossible!" --Chaucer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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