▪ I. impediment, n.
(ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt)
Also 5–6 impedy-, (5 in-, enpedy-, impede-, 6 ympediment).
[ad. L. impedīmentum hindrance, impediment, pl. -menta baggage, f. impedī-re to impede.]
1. The fact of impeding or condition of being impeded; hindrance, obstruction; concr. something that impedes, hinders, or obstructs; a hindrance, an obstruction.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xl. (1495) 156 To clense the eye syghte and to putte of the impediment and lette of the spyryte of lyfe. a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1807 To begge, shame is myne impediment. a 1450 Fysshynge w. angle (1883) 6 Ye must know..how many Impedimen[ts] þer ben yn anglyng. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 31 Temporall rychesse is rather an impedyment or let, than fortheraunce. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, If either of you doe knowe any impedimente..Yf no impedimente bee alleged. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, v. ii. 4 Thus farre..Haue we marcht on without impediment. 1645 Boate Irel. Nat. Hist. (1652) 67 These impediments are chiefly three in number, Cataracts, Weres, and Foards. 1662 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, If any of you know cause, or just impediment, why these two persons should not be joined together in holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. 1722 Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. p. viii, Notwithstanding all these impediments I continually resumed this work. 1873 Hamerton Intell. Life i. iii. (1875) 14 Impediments to his best activity. |
† 2. Something that impedes the functions or health of the body; a (physical) defect; an affection or malady. Obs.
| 1542 Boorde Dyetary xii. (1870) 264 They be not good..for the colycke nor the Ilyacke nor other inflatyue impedymentes or syckenesses. 1579 Langham Gard. Health (1633) 461 Skuruy, and spreading scabs, and such like impediments. c 1585 Faire Em ii. 471 What? is she deaf? a great impediment! 1657 R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 19 It was no decay or impediment in my sight that made me lose it. |
b. esp. An organic obstruction to ready or distinct speech; a stammer or stutter.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. clxxiv. 170 He had an enpedyment in his tunge. 1539 Bible (Great) Mark vii. 32 One that was deaffe and had an impedyment in hys spech. 1809 J. Watson Instr. Deaf & Dumb (title-p.) Hints for the Correction of Impediments in Speech. |
3. (Chiefly pl.) Baggage, esp. of an army; impedimenta.
| c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden No. 29) 219 All impedimentes being gatheryd into the middest of tharmy. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres iii. ii. 81 Then may the center containe the impedimentes and baggage of the armie. 1678 Life Black Prince in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793) 51 Placing his carriages there, and all his other impediments. 1890 Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 265 As the progress of..his party would necessarily partake of the nature of caravan movements, [he] decided..to go ahead of his impediment. |
4. Astrol. The ‘impedited’ condition of a planet: see impedite v. 2.
| 1819 J. Wilson Compl. Dict. Astrol. s.v. Impeded, The {moonfq} is impeded when in ☌, {square}, or {opp} of ☉, {saturn}, or {male}. If in ☌ or {opp}, the impediment lasts four days, viz. two before and two after. |
▪ II. † imˈpediment, v. Obs.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To put an impediment or obstruction in the way of; to obstruct.
| 1610 Househ. Ord. (1790) 337 Noise, whereby either their owne devotions may be diverted or that of others impedimented. 1631 T. Powell Tom All Trades 162 Who..impediment our Trade abroad. 1652 J. Taylor (Water P.) Journ. Wales (1859) 17 A reasonable hauen..now..much impedimented with shelvs, sands, and other annoyances. |