Impeach

Part of speech: noun (n.)

Hindrance; impeachment. [Obs.]

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To hinder; to impede; to prevent. [Obs.] These ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land. Sir J. Davies. A defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance. Howell.

2. To charge with a crime or misdemeanor; to accuse; especially to charge (a public officer), before a competent tribunal, with misbehavior in office; to cite before a tribunal for judgement of official misconduct; to arraign; as, to impeach a judge. See Impeachment.

3. Hence, to charge with impropriety; to dishonor; to bring discredit on; to call in question; as, to impeach one's motives or conduct. And doth impeach the freedom of the state. Shak.

4. To challenge or discredit the credibility of, as of a witness, or the validity of, as of commercial paper.

Synonyms: accuse; arraign; censure; criminate; indict; impair; disparage; discredit. See Accuse.