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impend

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(im pend′)

intransitive verb

Now Rare to hang or be suspended (over)
1. to be about to happen; be imminent
2. to threaten

Origin: L impendere, to overhang, threaten < in-, in + pendere, to hang, prob. < IE base *(s)pen(d)-, to pull, stretch > spin

Related Forms:

impending adjective

See impend in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intransitive verb im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends

To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending.
To threaten to happen; menace: discouraged by the trouble that impended.
Archaic To jut out; hang suspended.

Origin:

Origin: Latin impendēre

Origin: : in-, over; see in-²

Origin: + pendēre, to hang; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots

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