impossible

impossible
adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin impossibilis, from in- + possibilis possible Date: 14th century 1. a. incapable of being or of occurring b. felt to be incapable of being done, attained, or fulfilled ; insuperably difficult <
an impossible deadline
>
2. a. extremely undesirable ; unacceptable b. extremely awkward or difficult to deal with <
the actor was impossible on the set
>
impossibleness noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • impossible — [ ɛ̃pɔsibl ] adj. et n. m. • 1227; lat. impossibilis ♦ Qui ne peut être, exister; qui n est pas possible. I ♦ Adj. 1 ♦ Qui ne peut se produire, être atteint ou réalisé. Cette éventualité lui paraît impossible. ⇒ inenvisageable. Solution… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • impossible — Impossible. adj. de tout genre. Qui ne peut estre, qui ne se peut faire. Le mouvement perpetuel est impossible. la quadrature du cercle est regardée comme impossible. il n y a rien d impossible à Dieu. cela est moralement impossible. Il se dit… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • impossible — Impossible, Impossibilis. Il est impossible d avantage, Nihil supra. Il est impossible de faire aujourd huy tellement l ouvrage, que tousjours il n y ait à refaire, Numquam hoc vno die efficiatur opus, quin opus semper fiet. Il est impossible que …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Impossible — Im*pos si*ble, a. [F., fr. L. impossibilis; pref. im not + possibilis possible. See {Possible}.] Not possible; incapable of being done, of existing, etc.; unattainable in the nature of things, or by means at command; insuperably difficult under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Impossible — Im*pos si*ble, n. An impossibility; as, he tried to do the impossible. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Madam, quoth he, this were an impossible! Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impossible — im·pos·si·ble adj: not possible: incapable of being done, attained, or fulfilled a party s performance is impossible in part Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. impossible …   Law dictionary

  • impossible — [im päs′ə bəl] adj. [OFr < L impossibilis: see IN 2 & POSSIBLE] 1. not capable of being, being done, or happening 2. not capable of being done easily or conveniently 3. not capable of being endured, used, agreed to, etc. because disagreeable… …   English World dictionary

  • impossible — (adj.) late 14c., from O.Fr. impossible, from L. impossibilis not possible, from assimilated form of in not, opposite of (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + possibilis (see POSSIBLE (Cf. possible)). Related: Impossibly …   Etymology dictionary

  • impossible — [adj1] beyond the bounds of possibility absurd, beyond, contrary to reason, cureless, futile, hardly possible, hopeless, hundred to one*, impassable, impervious, impracticable, impractical, inaccessible, inconceivable, inexecutable, infeasible,… …   New thesaurus

  • impossible — ► ADJECTIVE 1) not able to occur, exist, or be done. 2) very difficult to deal with: an impossible situation. DERIVATIVES impossibility noun (pl. impossibilities) impossibly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • impossible — (in po si bl ) adj. 1°   Qui ne peut être, qui ne peut se faire. •   Tout ce qui n est pas aisé, ils [les lâches conseillers] le nomment impossible, BALZAC De la cour, 5e disc.. •   À qui sait bien aimer il n est rien d impossible, CORN. Médée, V …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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