IMPAIR

[im.pair] vt [ME empeiren, fr. MF empeirer, fr. (assumed) VL impejorare, fr. L in- + LL pejorare to make worse--more at pejorative] (14c): to damage or make worse by or as if by diminishing in some material respect "his health was ~ed by overwork" "the strike seriously ~ed community services" syn see injure -- im.pair.er n -- im.pair.ment n