v.
Pronunciation: im- ' per
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English empeiren, from Anglo-French empeirer, from Vulgar Latin *impejorare, from Latin in- + Late Latin pejorare to make worse ― more at PEJORATIVE
Date: 14th century
: to damage or make worse by or as if by diminishing in some material respect <his health was impair ed by overwork> <the strike seriously impair ed community services>
synonyms see INJURE
– im · pair · er noun
– im · pair · ment \ -m ə nt \ noun