impel

WOTD – 13 April 2008    

English

Etymology

From Latin impellō

Pronunciation

• (RP, US) IPA: /ɪmˈpɛl/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɛl

Verb

impel (third-person singular simple present impels, present participle impelling, simple past and past participle impelled)

1. (transitive) To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation. (contrast with propel, to compel or drive extrinsically)
2. (transitive) To drive forward; to propel an object.

Synonyms

• (to drive forward): propel

Antonyms

• expel

Translations

To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation

• Dutch: aanzetten (nl)
• French: motiver (fr), inciter (fr), pousser (fr)
• Portuguese: impelir (pt)

• Quechua: tanqay (qu)
• Russian: побуждать (ru) (pobuždátʹ)
• Spanish: impeler (es)

To drive forward; to propel an object

• Dutch: voortdrijven (nl)
• French: propulser (fr), éjecter (fr), pousser (fr)

• Russian: приводить в движение (privodítʹ v dvižénije)
• Spanish: impeler (es)

Related terms

• impellent
• impeller
• impulse

References

• impel in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• impel in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913