Middle English Dictionary Entry
impediment n.
Entry Info
| Forms | impediment n. Also empediement, (error) impedimet. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) That which hinders or prevents; an obstacle, a difficulty, hindrance; also coll. obstacles; sauns ~, without hindrance; withouten ~ of, unhindered by (sth.); don ~ unto, to hinder (sb.); (b) a mental or spiritual hindrance; withouten ~, unhindered; (c) interference, opposition; withouten ~; yeven ~, to interfere (with sth.), oppose; (d) an obstacle to cultivation; (e) a speech impediment; (f) delay; withouten ~, immediately; (g) astrol. a position of the planets which counteracts, or interferes with, the influence of a particular planet; (h) surg. a risk or danger to health.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)69/1 : And if þat wiþ þis medicyn þou maist not sowde þe..veyne, ne þow maist not constreyne þe blood for sum oþer inpediment [vr. Impedement; L impedimentum], þanne þou must ouþer bynde þe veyne or drawe hir out of hir place.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)98b/b : Wherfor seiþ G..al þingez apperyng without impediment [*Ch.(2): lettinge] of flegmonyng & more smal, þan is leful for to put to & presse ferulas i. splentez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)117b/b : Ȝif þer be a wounde in þe canne of þe lunges, þer falleþ impediment of passinge of heire.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)118a/a : Þe pacient schal be leten blode..but ȝif þer were enie oþere impediment, as age oþer enie oþer þing.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)127b/b : It is better þat þe wounde be made atwixe þe fifte and þe iiij ribbe because of þe impediment of þe midreff, þat lieþ nye þe þrid coste.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)130a/b : Ȝif þe spondiles of þe neck oþer of þe breste be dislocate, it is to doute of sodeine deþe be cause of impediment of a mannes winde and his lunges.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1643 : Oure fadere Norbert had hardid..His stabil face a-ȝens swech impediment.
- (1440-1) Visit.Alnwick124 : We charge and enioyne yow, prioresse..that euery weke ones, but ye haue a lawfulle impediment, ye holde a chapitre.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.1122 : Vngreyned grape..Me may suppe of as saunz impediment [L sine impedimento].
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)409 : He wole not worche werkis of his temporal lord til tyme þat he haue paied þe lord bi þo werkis, not wiþstonding he is strong ynouȝ þer to and haþ noon inpediment.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)355/9 : Ye hafe done vnto me a grete impediment.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)167/10 : The xij jmpedymentes Wyche cause men to take no fyche.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2292 : And rathest if the watir hem fulfille, For now hath he twey grete Impedymentys; Depnesse is oon, another thelement is.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.159a : Many Weeres, Fisshgarthes..Kidels, Hekkes, Flodeyates, and dyvers other ympedymentes dayly been made.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.391 : Þe water of Nilus was an impedimente to theyme.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)147a/b : The enleuenþe is of þe crampe & of oþere certeyne inpedimentis of þe curacioun of woundis.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)70/39 : Þe drynke of cold water vpon mete makys cold þe stomak..yt engendrys greet impedymentz yf mekyl be drunkyn.
- a1500 Dream Bk.(2) (Trin-C O.9.37)82 : To se peyntyng, disserte. To see ffisshe be take [?read: be-tokeneþ] impediment.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)220 : Anon thei founden a tree apt to the werk, of the whiche thei maden a beame to thendyng of the House of God, and endid is with moche joy without any impedyment.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)67/96 : If clerkes, that han ful insight and knowing of suche impedimentes, enforme you of the sothe, very idiottes ye ben but-if ye yeven credence to thilk clerkes wordes.
b
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.7.35 : Þat þat gyfes wille or lyghtschype to serfe god with outen impedyment.
- (c1422) Hoccl.Dial.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)538 : He sholde han had it many a day ago, But seeknesse and vnlust and othir mo Han be the causes of impediment.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)417 : Þe hool brood world was so occasionarie to yuel and ful of impedymentis letting from good, þat men myȝte not wiþout greet difficultee..lyue to gidere in þe brood world as cristen briþeren.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1807 : To begge, schame is myn impediment; I wot wel rather schulde I die and sterue.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)192/4 : Prayer is lettede two maners..God spekz of the fyrste impedimente be Ysaie.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)12/8 : The hole & þe grettist impediment is for we are not fre fro passions & concupiscences.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)44/14 : If þou were inwarde gode & pure, þan shuldist þou se all þinges wiþoute impediment & conceyue hem.
c
- (1435) RParl.4.491b : Evermore reserved unto ye Kyng..the hole half of alle suche forfaitures..and to thaym that fynden and seisyn the saide Merchandises, that other hole half, withoute any diminution, impediment, or lette.
- (1439) LRed Bk.Bristol2.154 : Whanne a strange man of the seid Crafte shal come to the toune..for to wirche by the day or by the weke with eny maister of the seide Crafte, forto have his sustenaunce withoute eny impediment.
- (1444) RParl.5.113b : The said Merchauntz Englyssh, hereafter ferely to beye and selle..as they were wont to do of old tyme, withouten any impediment or compulsyon of any persone.
- (1448) Doc.in Sundby Dial.Wor.(Eg Charter 608)255 : The seid Thomas shal perceue and take..pesibely, wyth out inpedimet or interupcion of the seid John or any othe person in his nome, the Foreseid annuete.
- (1450) RParl.5.211b : And that no persone, by force, manasses or violence, yefe impediment or lette, to fre, restfull and peasible execution of the seid Commissions.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.78/23 : Hit shall be lawfull to þe forsaide Abbot..þe saide crofte or telth to Entre and to haue for Euer, withoute Impediment or lett of þe saide Water or his heyres.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57187 : We therfore wul and charge you to suffyr hym..to enjoye our sayd lycence wyth outyn any let, interupcyon, or impediment.
- (1465) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2.p.118 : To passe thrughe oute this our land..boothe by see and by land haven or Port with oute eny lette, impediment, contradiccyon, vexacion, or trouble.
- a1470 Ordin.War Hen.V in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)469 : That noman gyve none impediment unto nomaner of labour, uppon peyn of enprisonement.
- (c1471) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.1142 : And goo and com..during oon hoole yere without any lett or impediment of us or eny of oure officers.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)369/30 : No persone of them shold lette, or yeve impedyment, vpon the gaderyng or takyng of tythis.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.364 : Henry Percy..And Wyllyam Clifford..The castell yeld at the kynges entencion..without enpechement Or forfeture or els impediment.
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.165 : Impedymentis, rootis ought thou trie, And tradde hit so that wikkid herbis die.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.328 : The branches ek kitte of fro vyne or tre, And brere & roote & al impediment In hast is from the deluer to hent.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)1937 : Moost medicynable..Is of the grape which growith..In large feeldys..Strecchyd abrood with oute inpediment.
e
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)218/16 : Demostenes..laburd so agayn a vice & ane impediment in his mouthe, þat no man myght speke fayrer.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.321 : From whiche tyme men of Hebrewe suppose Moyses to haue hade an impedimente in his tonge [L impeditioris linguæ].
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)384 : Mr Norry cryed ye larges in iij places of the hall, because Mr Garter had an Impediment in his tonge.
f
- a1500(a1470) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)125 : That thanne ye incline you to th'accomplissement of the mariage without seeking eny formal delay or empediement, otherwise thanne right lawe and good conscience asken.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)44 : That as soone and without any impedyment it were don.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.412 : Therfore in what castell that they bene in, Go to the same withoute impedyment; Not in wynter but in somer ye begyn.
g
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2957 : For the lorde of the iiii howse likewise be it done..so of the vith howse for seruaunte of the werkes; saue all them well frome great impedimentes.
h
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)74b/a : Of lettinge blood of þat veine þer falleþ redenesse of colour, þe whiche is liche to sausfleme & corupteþ þe visage, so þat þe impediment of lettyng blod of þat veine is grettere þen þe helping.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. impediment.