Im*peach" (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Impeached (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Impeaching.] [OE. empeechier to prevent, hinder, bar,
F. empêcher, L. impedicare to entangle; pref.
im- in + pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis,
foot. See Foot, and Appeach, Dispatch,
Impede.] 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
judgment 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. (Law) To challenge or discredit the
credibility of, as of a witness, or the validity of, as of commercial
paper.
&fist; When used in law with reference to a witness, the term
signifies, to discredit, to show or prove unreliable or unworthy of
belief; when used in reference to the credit of witness, the
term denotes, to impair, to lessen, to disparage, to destroy. The
credit of a witness may be impeached by showing that he has
made statements out of court contradictory to what he swears at the
trial, or by showing that his reputation for veracity is bad,
etc.
Syn. -- To accuse; arraign; censure; criminate; indict;
impair; disparage; discredit. See Accuse.
Im*peach", n. Hindrance;
impeachment. [Obs.]
