impair

The definition of impair is to hinder or weaken something.

(verb)

When drinking alcohol causes your reflexes to become slower, this is an example of how drinking impairs your reflexes.

See impair in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to make worse, less, weaker, etc.; damage; reduce

Origin: ME empeiren < OFr empeirer < VL *impejorare < L in-, intens. + LL pejorare, to make worse: see pejorative

Related Forms:

See impair in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb im·paired, im·pair·ing, im·pairs

To cause to diminish, as in strength, value, or quality: an injury that impaired my hearing; a severe storm impairing communications.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English empairen

Origin: , from Old French empeirer

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *impēiōrāre

Origin: : Latin in-, causative pref.; see in-²

Origin: + Late Latin pēiōrāre, to worsen (from Latin pēior, worse; see ped- in Indo-European roots)

Related Forms:

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