immobilizer
698
The company was immobilized by lack of finance. —lization
/ˌɪməʊbɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən|-bə/-/ n [U]
im·mo·bil·er /ɪˈməʊbɪlaɪzə/ n BrE a piece of equipment
that is fitted to a car to stop it moving if someone tries to
steal it
im·mod·er·ate /ɪˈmɒdərɪt||ˈmɑː-/ adj fml not kept within
sensible and reasonable limits; EXCESSIVE: immoderate
eating | immoderate wage demands —ly adv —racy n [U]
im·mod·est /ɪˈmɒdɪst||ˈmɑː-/ adj fml 1 showing or tending
to express a high opinion of oneself and one's abilities,
perhaps higher than is really deserved; not MODEST 2 (usu-
ally concerning women) not following the standards of
sexual behaviour that are regarded as socially acceptable: an
immodest dress | immodest behaviour → compare INDECENT
—ly adv —y n [U]
im·mo·late /ˈɪməʊleɪt/ v [T] to kill (especially oneself) for
religious or political reasons, especially by burning —lation
/ˌɪməˈleɪʃən/ n [U]
im·mor·al /ɪˈmɒrəl||ɪˈmɔː-/ adj 1 not good or right; not
following accepted moral principles: Using other people for
one's own profit is immoral. 2 going against accepted stand-
ards of sexual behaviour: a pimp lives off the immoral
earnings of a prostitute. | an immoral book that some people
called obscene → compare AMORAL —ly adv
im·mor·al·i·ty /ˌɪməˈrælɪti/ n 1 [U] immoral behav-
iour 2 [C usually pl.] an act which goes against accepted
standards
im·mor·tal /ɪˈmɔːtl|-ɔːr-/ adj 1 that will never die; that will
live for ever: the immortal gods 2 that will continue or be
remembered for ever: Shakespeare's immortal plays
—immortal n: Shakespeare is one of the immortals.
im·mor·tal·i·ty /ˌɪmɔːˈtælɪti|-ɔːr-/ n [U] the state of being
immortal; never-ending life or endless fame
im·mor·tal·ize also -ise BrE /ɪˈmɔːtəlaɪz||-ɔːr-/ v [T] to give
endless life or fame to: Dickens's father was immortalized as
Mr Micawber in 'David Copperfield'.
Im·mor·tal 'Memory, The especially in Scotland, the title
of a TOAST (=when people drink a glass of alcohol to show
respect for someone) to the poet Robert BURNS, usually made
at parties on Burns Night
im·mov·a·ble /ɪˈmuːvəbəl/ adj 1 impossible to
move 2 impossible to change: The government is immovable
on that issue. (=will not change its mind) —bly adv
im·mune /ɪˈmjuːn/ adj 1 [{to}] unable to be harmed because
of special qualities in oneself: immune to disease | The
president seems to be immune to criticism. 2 [{from}] specially
protected: The criminal was told he would be immune from
prosecution if he helped the police. —munity n [U] diplo-
matic immunity
im·mune system, the n the bodily system by which
special substances called antibodies (ANTIBODY) are produced
to fight against disease-causing substances (ANTIGENS) that
have entered the body
im·mu·nize also -ise BrE /ˈɪmjʊnaɪz/ v [T{against}] to protect
from disease by putting certain substances into the body,
usually by means of an INJECTION → compare INOCULATE,
VACCINATE —nization /ˌɪmjʊnaɪˈzeɪʃən||-nə-/ n [C;U]
im·mu·no·de·fi·cien·cy /ˌɪmjʊnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi, ˌɪˌmjunəʊ-/
n [C,U] an inability of the body to fight infection (e.g. when a
person has AIDS) —immunodeficient adj
im·mure /ɪˈmjuːər/ v [T] fml or lit to imprison; shut (someone)
away alone
im·mut·a·ble /ɪˈmjuːtəbəl/ adj fml unchangeable: the immu-
table laws of nature —bly adv —bility /ˌɪˌmjutəˈbɪlɪti/ n
[U]
imp /ɪmp/ n 1 a little devil 2 a child who misbehaves in a
not very serious way → see also IMPISH
im·pact¹ /ˈɪmpækt/ n 1 the force of one object hitting
another 2 [on] an especially strong or powerful influence
or effect caused or produced by an idea, invention, event
etc: The computer has had/made a great impact on modern
life. | The full impact of these changes has not yet been
felt. 3 on impact at the moment of hitting: The cup hit the
wall and broke on impact.
im·pact² /ɪmˈpækt/ v [I+on;T] especially AmE to have an impact
(on): These costs will impact on our profitability.
im·pact·ed /ɪmˈpæktɪd/ adj (usually of a WISDOM TOOTH)
growing under another tooth instead of upwards into the
mouth
im·pair /ɪmˈpeər/ v [T] to weaken or make worse: His illness
has impaired his efficiency. | impaired hearing —ment n [U]
im·pa·la /ɪmˈpɑːlə/ n pl impalas or impala a large brownish
graceful African deerlike animal (ANTELOPE)
im·pale /ɪmˈpeɪl/ v [T(on)] to run a sharp stick or weapon
through (someone's body): He fell out of the window and was
impaled on the iron railings. → compare TRANSFIX —ment
n [U]
im·pal·pa·ble /ɪmˈpælpəbəl/ adj fml 1 which cannot be felt
by touch; not PALPABLE 2 not easily understood: impalpable
ideas floating through his mind
im·pan·el /ɪmˈpænəl/ v [T] to EMPANEL
im·part /ɪmˈpɑːt||-ɑːrt/ v [T(to)] fml 1 to give or pass (quali-
ties, feelings etc): The music imparts a feeling of excitement to
the film. | The herbs imparted a delicious flavour to the
stew. 2 to make known (information etc): He had no news to
impart.
im·par·tial /ɪmˈpɑːʃəl||-ɑːr-/ adj fair; not giving special
favour or support to any one side: an impartial judge | an
impartial news report —ly adv —ity /ˌɪmˌpɑːʃiˈælɪti||-ɑːr-/
n [U]
im·pass·a·ble /ɪmˈpɑːsəbəl||ɪmˈpæs-/ adj which cannot be
travelled over: The snow has made the road impassable.
im·passe /æmˈpɑːs||ˈɪmpæs/ n [C usually sing.] a point at
which further movement or development is blocked: The
negotiations have reached an impasse. (=neither side will
agree)
im·pas·sioned /ɪmˈpæʃənd/ adj (usually of speech) filled
with deep feelings: an impassioned plea for justice
im·pas·sive /ɪmˈpæsɪv/ adj sometimes derog showing or seem-
ing to have no feelings; without EMOTION: The defendant
remained impassive as the judge sentenced him to death. →
compare IMPERTURBABLE —ly adv —sivity /ˌɪmpəˈsɪvɪti/ n
[U]
im·pa·tience /ɪmˈpeɪʃəns/ n [U] 1 inability or unwilling-
ness to accept delays, other people's weaknesses etc: There is
growing impatience at the government's inability to solve the
problem. 2 [+for /to-v] great eagerness: She arrived too early in
her impatience to see him.
im·pa·tient /ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/ adj 1 showing impatience: too
impatient with slow learners | an impatient reply 2 [F+for
/to-v] very eager: impatient for his dinner | impatient to leave
—ly adv
im·peach /ɪmˈpiːtʃ/ v [T] 1 fml to raise doubts about: to
impeach someone's motives/character 2 law a) to say that
(someone) is guilty of a serious crime, especially against the
state b) (especially in the US) to charge (a public official)
with serious misbehaviour in office —ment n [U]
im·pec·ca·ble /ɪmˈpekəbəl/ adj free from fault or blame;
FLAWLESS: impeccable character/credentials —bly adv:
impeccably dressed
im·pe·cu·ni·ous /ˌɪmpɪˈkjuniəs/ adj fml, sometimes humor
having little or no money, especially continually —ly adv
—ness n [U]
im·ped·ance /ɪmˈpiːdəns/ n [S;U] tech (a measure of) the
power of a piece of electrical apparatus to stop the flow of an
ALTERNATING CURRENT
im·pede /ɪmˈpiːd/ v [T] to get in the way of or slow down the
movement or development of; HINDER: The rescue attempt
was impeded by bad weather.
im·ped·i·ment /ɪmˈpedmənt/ n 1 [{to}] a fact or event
which makes action difficult or impossible: The main
impediment to development is the country's huge foreign
debt. 2 a physical or nervous difficulty which prevents a
person from speaking clearly: a speech impediment
im·ped·i·men·ta /ˌɪmˌpedɪˈmentə/ n [P] bags and posses-
sions in the form of LUGGAGE especially supplies carried by
an army: fig., humor They brought their children, the cat, the
dog, and the rest of their impedimenta.
im·pel /ɪmˈpel/ v -ll- [T(to)] (especially of an idea, feeling etc)
to drive (someone) to take action: impelled to greater effort |