■ noun 'ɪmpakt
1》 the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.
2》 a marked effect or influence.
■ verb ɪm'pakt
1》 come into forcible contact with another object.
↘ chiefly N. Amer. come into forcible contact with.
2》 (often ~ on ) have a strong effect.
3》 press firmly.
Derivatives
~ive adjective
~or noun
Origin
C17: from L. ~- , impingere (see impinge ).
Usage
Many people disapprove of the phrasal verb ~ on , as in high interest rates have ~ed on retail spending . This may be partly because new formations of verbs from nouns are often regarded as somehow inferior and partly because this use of ~ is widely associated with business jargon, making it doubly disliked.