impoverish
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English impoverishen, empoverishen, from Old French empoverir, from em- + povre, from Latin pauper (“poor”) (English poor).
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
impoverish (third-person singular simple present impoverishes, present participle impoverishing, simple past and past participle impoverished)
- (transitive) To make poor.
- (transitive) To weaken in quality; to deprive of some strength or richness.
- That exuberant crop quickly impoverishes any fertile soil.
- (intransitive) To become poor.
Synonyms edit
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
to make poor
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to deprive of some strength or richness
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to become poor
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See also edit
Further reading edit
- “impoverish”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “impoverish”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “impoverish”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.