different between impair vs subject

English

Alternative forms

• empair (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

From Middle English impairen, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, variant of empirier (“to worsen”), from Vulgar Latin *imp?i?r?, from im- + Late Latin p?i?r? (“to make worse”), from peior (“worse”), comparative of malus (“bad”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?p??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Verb

impair (third-person singular simple present impairs, present participle impairing, simple past and past participle impaired)

1. (transitive) To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
2. (intransitive, archaic) To grow worse; to deteriorate.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

Synonyms

• blunt, diminish, hurt, lessen, mar, reduce, weaken, worsen

Derived terms

• impairment

Translations

Adjective

impair (comparative more impair, superlative most impair)

1. (obsolete) Not fit or appropriate; unsuitable.

Further reading

• impair in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• impair in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• impair at OneLook Dictionary Search

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin imp?r, equivalent to im- +? pair.

Adjective

impair (feminine singular impaire, masculine plural impairs, feminine plural impaires)

1. odd (of a number)

   Antonym: pair

Derived terms

• fonction impaire
• nombre impair

References

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

Antonyms

• pair

Anagrams

• primai

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English subget, from Old French suget, from Latin subiectus (“lying under or near, adjacent, also subject, exposed”), as a noun, subiectus (“a subject, an inferior”), subiectum (“the subject of a proposition”), past participle of subici? (“throw, lay, place”), from sub (“under, at the foot of”) + iaci? (“throw, hurl”), as a calque of Ancient Greek ??????????? (hupokeímenon).

Pronunciation

• enPR: s?b?j?kt, IPA^(key): /?s?b.d??kt/
• (also) (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?b.d??kt/
• Hyphenation: sub?ject

Adjective

subject (comparative more subject, superlative most subject)

1. Likely to be affected by or to experience something.
   • c. 1678 (written), 1682 (published), John Dryden, Mac Flecknoe

     All human things are subject to decay.

2. Conditional upon something; used with to.

3. Placed or situated under; lying below, or in a lower situation.
4. Placed under the power of another; owing allegiance to a particular sovereign or state.
   • , Book I

     Esau was never subject to Jacob.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Latin subiectus (“a subject, an inferior”), subiectum (“the subject of a proposition”), past participle of subici? (“throw, lay, place”), from sub (“under, at the foot of”) + iaci? (“throw, hurl”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: s?b?j?kt, IPA^(key): /?s?b.d??kt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?b.d??kt/
• Hyphenation: sub?ject

Noun

subject (plural subjects)

2. (grammar) In a clause: the word or word group (usually a noun phrase) about whom the statement is made. In active clauses with verbs denoting an action, the subject and the actor are usually the same.

3. An actor; one who takes action.

   The subjects and objects of power.

4. The main topic of a paper, work of art, discussion, field of study, etc.
   • 1695, John Dryden (translator), Observations on the Art of Painting by Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy

     Make choice of a subject beautifull and noble, which […] shall […] afford […] an ample field of matter wherein to expatiate itself.
5. A particular area of study.
6. A citizen in a monarchy.

7. A person ruled over by another, especially a monarch or state authority.
8. (music) The main theme or melody, especially in a fugue.
   • 1878, William Smith Rockstro, "Subject" in A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

     The earliest known form of subject is the ecclesiastical cantus firmus, or plain song.

9. A human, animal or an inanimate object that is being examined, treated, analysed, etc.
   • 1748, Conyers Middleton, Life of Cicero

     Writers of particular lives […] are apt to be prejudiced in favour of their subject.
10. (philosophy) A being that has subjective experiences, subjective consciousness, or a relationship with another entity.
11. (logic) That of which something is stated.
12. (mathematics) The variable in terms of which an expression is defined.

Synonyms

• (discussion): matter, topic

Derived terms

• between-subjects
• subject matter
• subject title
• subjective
• within-subjects

Translations

See also

• object
• predicate

Etymology 3

From Medieval Latin subiect?, iterative of subici? (“throw, lay, place”), from sub (“under, at the foot of”) + iaci? (“throw, hurl”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: s?b-j?kt?, IPA^(key): /s?b?d??kt/, /s?b?d??kt/
• Rhymes: -?kt

Verb

subject (third-person singular simple present subjects, present participle subjecting, simple past and past participle subjected)

1. (transitive, construed with to) To cause (someone or something) to undergo a particular experience, especially one that is unpleasant or unwanted.

   I came here to buy souvenirs, not to be subjected to a tirade of abuse!

2. (transitive) To make subordinate or subservient; to subdue or enslave.

Synonyms

• underbring

Translations

Further reading

• subject in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• subject in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• subject at OneLook Dictionary Search