01 n. That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect.
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1.
That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect.“Thus far into the bowels of the land Have we marched on without impediment.” — Shak.“The eloquence of Demosthenes was to Philip of Macedon, a difficulty to be met with his best resources, an obstacle to his own ambition, and an impediment in his political career.” — C. J. Smith.
Phrases & compounds
Impediment in speech —
a defect which prevents distinct utterance.
Syn.
Hindrance; obstruction; obstacle; difficulty; incumbrance.
-- Impediment, Obstacle, Difficulty, Hindrance. An impediment literally strikes against our feet, checking our progress, and we remove it. An obstacle rises before us in our path, and we surmount or remove it. A difficulty sets before us something hard to be done, and we encounter it and overcome it. A hindrance holds us back for a time, but we break away from it.