impede

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=pede

CIDE DICTIONARY

impede, v. t. [L. impedire, lit., to entangle the feet; pref. im- in + pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Impeach.].

 To hinder; to stop in progress; to obstruct; as, to impede the advance of troops.  [1913 Webster]
"Whatever hinders or impedes
The action of the nobler will."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

impede, v.tr. retard by obstructing; hinder.

Etymology

L impedire shackle the feet of (as IN-(2), pes foot)

THESAURUS

impede

arrest, backpedal, backwater, bar, block, bottle up, brake, burden, check, clip the wings, confine, confound, countercheck, cramp, cripple, cumber, curb, dam, dam up, damp, dampen, decelerate, delay, detain, discomfit, disconcert, drag, draw rein, ease off, ease up, embarrass, encumber, enmesh, ensnarl, entangle, entoil, entrammel, entrap, entwine, faze, fetter, foil, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold in check, hold up, inhibit, intercept, interfere, intermeddle, interrupt, intervene, involve, keep back, keep in check, lag, lame, let down, let up, lime, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, lumber, make late, meddle, moderate, net, obstruct, oppose, press down, rattle, reef, rein in, relax, repress, resist, restrain, retard, saddle with, scotch, set back, shackle, slack off, slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, snarl, snub, spike, stay, stop, suppress, take in sail, tangle, throttle down, thwart, toil, trammel, weigh down

ROGET THESAURUS

impede

Hindrance

VB hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.