Impair - English meaning

adjective

(of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point.

Usage examples:

A blunt knife

verb

Make or become less sharp.

Usage examples:

Wood can blunt your axe

noun

A hollowed-out cigar filled with cannabis.

Usage examples:

Consequently, marijuana use in blunts may persist longer into adulthood for a larger proportion of …

noun

An agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.

Usage examples:

Eventually they reached a compromise

verb

Settle a dispute by mutual concession.

Usage examples:

In the end we compromised and deferred the issue

noun

An agreement between two sides who have different opinions, in which each side gives up something it had wanted

Usage examples:

Under the compromise, car manufacturers must use cleaner fuel but have more time to do it., his opp…

noun

Physical harm that impairs the value, usefulness, or normal function of something.

Usage examples:

Bombing caused extensive damage to the town

verb

Inflict physical harm on (something) so as to impair its value, usefulness, or normal function.

Usage examples:

The car was badly damaged in the accident

verb

To harm or spoil something

Usage examples:

Many buildings were badly damaged by the earthquake., news reports damaged the senator’s reputation…

verb

Make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.

Usage examples:

The population of the area has decreased radically

noun

An instance or example of becoming smaller or fewer.

Usage examples:

A decrease in births

verb

To become smaller or make something less

Usage examples:

[ i ] car sales decreased sharply this year., i haven’t noticed any decrease in ticket sales.

verb

Make or become less.

Usage examples:

The new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size or importance

Usage examples:

[ i ] the threat of inflation is diminishing., [ t ] a single-payer system would diminish the burea…

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value

Usage examples:

If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods., investors can d…

verb

(of a disease, injury, or accident) limit (someone) in their movements, senses, or activities.

Usage examples:

It's an injury that could disable somebody for life

verb

To make something or someone unable to act in the correct or usual way

Usage examples:

Thieves disabled the museum’s alarm system.

verb

To turn off a part of a computer system, or stop it from working in the normal way

Usage examples:

To disable a program or device, right-click its listing under the appropriate category and choose '…

noun

Physical injury, especially that which is deliberately inflicted.

Usage examples:

I didn't mean to cause him any harm

verb

Physically injure.

Usage examples:

The villains didn't harm him

noun

Physical or other injury or damage

Usage examples:

Missing a meal once in a while won’t do you any harm., fortunately, she didn’t come to any harm whe…

verb

Make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

Usage examples:

Language barriers hindered communication between scientists

adjective

(especially of a bodily part) rear; hind.

Usage examples:

The hinder end of its body

verb

To limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Usage examples:

A poor diet can hinder mental and physical growth., i don’t know if these changes are going to help…

verb

Delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder.

Usage examples:

The sap causes swelling which can impede breathing

verb

To make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something

Usage examples:

Although he's shy, it certainly hasn't impeded his career in any way.

verb

Make or become less; diminish.

Usage examples:

The years have lessened the gap in age between us

verb

To become or make something smaller in amount or degree

Usage examples:

[ t ] keeping your weight down can lessen the risk of heart disease.

verb

To make something smaller, less noticeable, etc., or to become smaller, less noticeable, etc.

Usage examples:

Corporate executives are keen to embrace "green technology" in order to lessen their dependence on …

verb

Impair the quality or appearance of; spoil.

Usage examples:

Violence marred a number of new year celebrations

abbreviation

March.

verb

To spoil something, making it less good or less enjoyable

Usage examples:

Water will mar the finish of polished wood.

noun

To spoil or destroy an idea or plan

Usage examples:

The rain certainly put the kibosh on our plans for a picnic.

verb

Make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Usage examples:

The need for businesses to reduce costs

verb

Make smaller

verb

To make something less in size, amount, degree, importance, or price

Usage examples:

A low-fat diet can reduce the risk of heart disease., grunn employs 17,900 people, but that number …

verb

Diminish or destroy the value or quality of.

Usage examples:

I wouldn't want to spoil your fun

noun

Goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place.

Usage examples:

The looters carried their spoils away

verb

To destroy or damage something, or to become destroyed or damaged

Usage examples:

[ t ] the oil spill spoiled five miles of coastline., [ t ] don’t tell me how it ends, you’ll spoil…

verb

State one's intention to take hostile action against (someone) in retribution for something done or not done.

Usage examples:

How dare you threaten me?

verb

Utter intentions of injury or punishment against

verb

To tell someone that you will hurt or harm him or her, esp. if the person does not do something in particular

Usage examples:

[ i ] they threatened to drop him from the team if he didn’t come to practice., [ t ] don’t threate…

verb

Erode the base or foundation of (a rock formation).

Usage examples:

The flow of water had undermined pillars supporting the roof

verb

To gradually weaken or destroy someone or something

Usage examples:

The incompetence and arrogance of the city’s administration have undermined public confidence in go…

verb

Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.

Usage examples:

Development programmes have been vitiated by the rise in population

verb

To destroy or damage something

Usage examples:

He said that american military power should never again be vitiated by political concerns.

verb

Make or become weaker in power, resolve, or physical strength.

Usage examples:

Fault lines had weakened and shattered the rocks

verb

To make or become weak or weaker

Usage examples:

[ i ] the country’s economy continues to weaken., [ t ] long exposure to vibration can weaken aircr…

verb

To become or make something or someone become less powerful, successful, effective, etc.

Usage examples:

A series of scandals weakened investor confidence., the plan has divided the country and weakened t…