impeach

impeach
impeacher, n.
/im peech"/, v.t.
1. to accuse (a public official) before an appropriate tribunal of misconduct in office.
2. Chiefly Law. to challenge the credibility of: to impeach a witness.
3. to bring an accusation against.
4. to call in question; cast an imputation upon: to impeach a person's motives.
5. to call to account.
n.
6. Obs. impeachment.
[1350-1400; ME empechen, enpeshen < AF empecher < LL impedicare to fetter, trap, equiv. to L im- IM-1 + pedic(a) a fetter (deriv. of pes FOOT) + -a- thematic vowel + -re inf. suffix]
Syn. 4. question, challenge, impugn.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • impeach — im·peach /im pēch/ vt [Anglo French empecher, from Old French empeechier to hinder, from Late Latin impedicare to fetter, from Latin in + pedica fetter, from ped pes foot] 1: to charge with a crime or misconduct; specif: to charge (a public… …   Law dictionary

  • Impeach — Im*peach , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Impeached}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Impeaching}.] [OE. empeechier to prevent, hinder, bar, F. emp[^e]cher, L. impedicare to entangle; pref. im in + pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See {Foot}, and {Appeach},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Impeach — Im*peach , n. Hindrance; impeachment. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impeach — UK US /ɪmˈpiːtʃ/ verb [T] LAW, GOVERNMENT ► especially in the US, to formally accuse a public official of a serious offence in connection with their job: »He was suspended and later impeached amid a $60 million financial scandal. impeachable… …   Financial and business terms

  • impeach — (v.) late 14c., to impede, hinder, prevent, from Anglo Fr. empecher, O.Fr. empeechier hinder (12c., Mod.Fr. empêcher), from L.L. impedicare to fetter, catch, entangle, from from assimilated form of in into, in (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + L. pedica… …   Etymology dictionary

  • impeach — indict, incriminate, *accuse, charge, arraign Analogous words: condemn, denounce, blame, censure (see CRITICIZE): try, test, *prove Contrasted words: *exculpate, vindicate, exonerate, acquit, absolve …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • impeach — in BrE means ‘to charge with a crime against the State, especially treason’, and in AmE means ‘to charge (the holder of a public office) with misconduct’. It does not mean ‘to dismiss from office’ in either variety …   Modern English usage

  • impeach — [v] denounce, censure accuse, arraign, blame, bring charges against, call into question, call to account, cast aspersions on, cast doubt on, challenge, charge, criminate, criticize, discredit, disparage, hold at fault, impugn, incriminate,… …   New thesaurus

  • impeach — ► VERB 1) call into question the integrity or validity of (a practice). 2) Brit. charge with treason or another crime against the state. 3) chiefly US charge (the holder of a public office) with misconduct. DERIVATIVES impeachable adjective… …   English terms dictionary

  • impeach — [im pēch′] vt. [ME empechen < OFr empechier, to hinder < LL impedicare, to fetter, entangle < L in , in + pedica, a fetter < pes, FOOT] 1. to challenge or discredit (a person s honor, reputation, etc.) 2. to challenge the practices or …   English World dictionary

  • impeach — v. (D; tr.) to impeach for (to impeach smb. for taking bribes) * * * [ɪm piːtʃ] (D; tr.) to impeach for (to impeach smb. for taking bribes) …   Combinatory dictionary

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