impair — to damage or make something less good or effective
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to damage or make something less good or effective
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪmˈper/
Example Sentences
- His terrible singing voice impaired the entire choir performance.
- Drinking alcohol can impair your driving ability.
- The comedian's constant interruptions impaired the serious debate.
impair
VERB[/ɪmˈper/]
to damage or make something less good or effective
The boy dragged a sharp rusty nail across the glass, permanently impairing the expensive camera lens.
IM(not) + PAIR(pair) — snapping one blade made it IM(not) a PAIR, which completely impaired the scissors.
He meant to repair the old pocket watch, but his heavy hammer only managed to impair it.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old French 'empairier' meaning 'to make worse', derived from Latin 'in-' (into) combined with 'peior' (worse). The word entered English in the 14th century through Norman French influence.
Breakdown
im- (in-/into) + pair (from Latin 'peior' meaning worse) = impair (to make worse or damage)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His terrible singing voice impaired the entire choir performance.”
“Drinking alcohol can impair your driving ability.”
“The comedian's constant interruptions impaired the serious debate.”
“Age-related diseases can impair cognitive function.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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