Adjacent Words

Impel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

IMPEL', v.t. [L. impello; in and pello, to drive.]
To drive or urge forward; to press on; to excite to action or to move forward, by the application of physical force, or moral suasion or necessity. A ball is impelled by the force of powder; a ship is impelled by wind; a man may be impelled by hunger or a regard to his safety; motives of policy or of safety impel nations to confederate.
The surge impelled me on a craggy coast.
And several men impel to several ends.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate [syn: impel, force]
2: cause to move forward with force; "Steam propels this ship" [syn: propel, impel]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (impelled; impelling) Etymology: Middle English impellen, from Latin impellere, from in- + pellere to drive — more at felt Date: 15th century 1. to urge or drive forward or on by or as if by the exertion of strong moral pressure ; force <felt impelled to correct the misconception> 2. to impart motion to ; propel Synonyms: see move

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (impelled, impelling) 1 drive, force, or urge into action. 2 drive forward; propel. Derivatives: impellent adj. & n. impeller n. Etymology: ME f. L impellere (as IN-(2), pellere puls- drive)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Impel Im*pel", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Impelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Impelling.] [L. impellere; pref. im- in + pellere, pulsum, to drive. See Pulse a beat, and cf. Impulse.] To drive or urge forward or on; to press on; to incite to action or motion in any way. The surge impelled me on a craggy coast. --Pope. Syn: To instigate; incite; induce; influence; force; drive; urge; actuate; move.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(impels, impelling, impelled) When something such as an emotion impels you to do something, it affects you so strongly that you feel forced to do it. ...the courage and competitiveness which impels him to take risks... = force, compel VERB: V n to-inf

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Drive, push, urge, put in motion, press on, urge forward. 2. Induce, move, persuade, influence, instigate, incite, actuate, stimulate, set on, stir up.

Moby Thesaurus

actuate, advance, animate, beset, bind, bowl, bunt, butt, cause, cause to, compel, constrain, drive, drive on, energize, enforce, foment, force, forward, foster, galvanize, give an impetus, give momentum, goad, grip, have, hold, incite, infatuate, inspire, instigate, make, mobilize, motivate, move, move to action, not let go, nudge, obsess, pedal, pole, possess, power, preoccupy, promote, propel, push, put in motion, restrain, roll, row, set agoing, set going, set in motion, shove, shunt, spark, spur, stimulate, sweep, sweep along, thrust, tie, treadle, troll, trundle, use force upon, whip on