impeach

impeach
\ \ [14] Impeach has nothing to do with peaches. In fact it is closely related to impede, and indeed originally meant ‘impede’ in English. Both verbs comes ultimately from Latin pēsfoot’. Impede [17] goes back to Latin impedīre, a compound verb based on pēs which originally meant literally ‘tie the feet together’. Impeach, on the other hand, comes via Old French empecher (ancestor of modern French empêcher) from late Latin impedicārefetter, entangle, ensnare’, a compound verb based on the noun pedicafetter’, which itself came from the same base as pēs. Its original meaning ‘impede, prevent’ survived in English until the late 17th century (‘a Ditch of sufficient breadth, and depth, to impeach the Assaults of an Enemy’, William Leybourn. Cursus Mathematicus 1690). Its use for ‘charge, accuse’ arose in the 14th century from an erroneous association with Latin impetereattack, accuse’ (source of English impetuous).
\ \ Cf.FOOT, IMPEDE, PEDAL

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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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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