impasse

Etymology

[1851] Borrowed from French impasse, from French in- + passer.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈæmpɑːs/^[1][2], /æmˈpɑːs/^[2], /ˈɪmpɑːs/^[2], /ɪmˈpɑːs/^[2]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɪmpæs/^[3], /ɪmˈpæs/^[3]

Noun

impasse (plural impasses)

1. a road with no exit; a cul-de-sac
2. a deadlock or stalemate situation in which no progress can be made
   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XIV:

     “It seems to me the thing's an impasse. French expression,” I explained, “meaning that we're stymied good and proper with no hope of finding a formula.”

   • 2010, Clare Vanderpool, Moon Over Manifest

     "Young man, this town is at a bit of an impasse. If you have any suggestion that might help, now would be the time to voice it."

References

Further reading

• impasse at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• pessima, sempais

Etymology

From im- +‎ passe.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.pɑs/

• audio (France)

  (file)

Noun

impasse f (plural impasses)

1. stalemate, impasse (situation in which no progress can be made; not used in the chess sense of stalemate)
2. dead-end; cul-de-sac (street)

Further reading

• “impasse” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Noun

impasse f (invariable)

1. impasse, dead-end, deadlock, stalemate

Anagrams

• pessima

Etymology

Borrowed from French impasse.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ĩ.ˈpa.si/

Noun

impasse m (plural impasses)

1. impasse (a situation in which no progress can be made)

Alternative forms

• impás

Noun

impasse m (plural impasses)

1. impasse