Impotence

Impotence
Impotence Im"po*tence, Impotency Im"po*ten*cy, n. [L. impotenia inability, poverty, lack of moderation. See {Impotent}.] 1. The quality or condition of being impotent; lack of strength or power, animal, intellectual, or moral; weakness; feebleness; inability; imbecility. [1913 Webster]

Some were poor by impotency of nature; as young fatherless children, old decrepit persons, idiots, and cripples. --Hayward. [1913 Webster]

O, impotence of mind in body strong! --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. Lack of self-restraint or self-control. [R.] --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. (Law & Med.) Lack of procreative power; inability to copulate, or beget children; also, sometimes, sterility; barrenness; specifically, in males: the inability to achieve or sustain a penile erection; erectile dysfunction. [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • impotence — [ ɛ̃pɔtɑ̃s ] n. f. • v. 1265; lat. impotentia ♦ État d une personne impotente. ● impotence nom féminin (latin impotentia) État d un individu impotent. ● impotence (expressions) nom féminin (latin impotentia) Impotence fonction …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • impotence — I noun debilitation, debility, defenselessness, failure, feebleness, forcelessness, helplessness, imbecillitas, impotency, impuissance, inability, inadequacy, incapability, incapacitation, incapacity, incompetence, incompetency, ineffectiveness,… …   Law dictionary

  • impotence — (n.) early 15c., physical weakness, also poverty, from M.Fr. impotence weakness, from L. impotentia lack of control or power, from impotentem (nom. impotens); see IMPOTENT (Cf. impotent). In reference to a want of (male) sexual potency, from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • impotence — n. pl. impotencies [im′pə təns] n. [OFr < L impotentia] the quality or condition of being impotent: also impotency n. impotencies …   English World dictionary

  • impotence — /im peuh teuhns/, n. 1. the condition or quality of being impotent; weakness. 2. chronic inability to attain or sustain an erection for the performance of a sexual act. 3. sterility, esp. in the male. 4. Obs. lack of self restraint. Also,… …   Universalium

  • Impotence — Le terme impotence (du latin impotentia, « impuissance, faiblesse ») désigne : L état d une personne impotente, c’est à dire se déplaçant avec grande difficulté, voire grabataire. Une impotence fonctionnelle : inaptitude à se… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • impotence — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ relative (esp. BrE) ▪ the relative impotence of individual governments in the face of global forces ▪ male ▪ political, sexual VERB + IMPOTENCE …   Collocations dictionary

  • Impotence — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Impotence >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 impotence impotence Sgm: N 1 inability inability disability Sgm: N 1 disablement disablement impuissance imbecility Sgm: N 1 incapacity incapacity incapability …   English dictionary for students

  • impotence — (in po tan s ) s. f. Terme de médecine. État de celui qui est impotent. HISTORIQUE    XIIIe s. •   Après s en va sans escuier ; Mès por ses membres apuier Ot ausinc cum par impotence De traïson une potence, la Rose, 12295.    XIVe s.… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • impotence — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Lack of strength Nouns 1. impotence, inability, disability; disablement, impuissance, incapacity, incapability; inaptness, ineptitude, inefficiency, incompetence; disqualification. See weakness,… …   English dictionary for students

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