Impeach

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːtʃ

Origin

From Anglo-Norman empecher, from Old French empeechier ("hinder") (French empêcher), from Latin impedicare ("fetter")

Full definition of impeach

Verb

1. To hinder, impede, or prevent.
• Sir J. DaviesThese ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land.
• HowellA defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance.
2. To bring a legal proceeding against a public official, asserting that because he or she committed some offense, he or she should be removed from office.
• President Clinton was impeached by the House in November 1999, but since the Senate acquitted him, he was not removed from office.
3. To charge with impropriety; to discredit; to call into question.
4. (legal) To demonstrate in court that a testimony under oath contradicts another testimony from the same person, usually one taken during deposition.

Derived terms

• impeachment