n.

1. Something that impedes; a hindrance or obstruction. See synonyms at obstacle.
2. An organic defect preventing clear articulation: a speech impediment.
3. Law. Something that obstructs the making of a legal contract.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin impedīmentum, from impedīre, to impede. See impede.]

impedimental im·ped'i·men'tal (-mĕn'tl) or im·ped'i·men'ta·ry (-mĕn'tə-rē) adj.

noun

Something that impedes or prevents entry or passage: bar, barricade, barrier, block, blockage, clog, hamper, hindrance, hurdle, obstacle, obstruction, snag, stop, traverse, wall. See help/harm/harmless, open/close.

n

Definition: obstruction, hindrance
Antonyms: aid, assistance, benefit, facilitation, furtherance, help, support

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

A disability or obstruction that prevents an individual from entering into a contract.

Infancy, for example, is an impediment in making certain contracts. Impediments to marriage include such factors as consanguinity between the parties or an earlier marriage that is still valid.

IN BRIEF: Obstruction.

There is no greater impediment to the advancement of knowledge than the ambiguity of words. — Thomas Reid (1710-1769), Scottish philosopher. Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man (1785).

Dansk (Danish)
n. - hindring, forhindring

Nederlands (Dutch)
belemmering, beletsel

Français (French)
n. - entrave, empêchement

Deutsch (German)
n. - Hindernis, Sprachfehler

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - εμπόδιο, κώλυμα

Italiano (Italian)
impedimento, ostacolo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - impedimento (m)

Русский (Russian)
препятствие, заикание

Español (Spanish)
n. - impedimento, estorbo, obstáculo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hinder, svårighet, avbräck

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
妨碍, 障碍物, 阻碍

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 妨礙, 障礙物, 阻礙

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 방해, 신체장애, 말더듬

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 妨害, 身体障害, 言語障害, どもり, 妨げ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عائق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮עיכוב, מעצור, פגם, מום, פגם בדיבור (גמגום, כבדות לשון וכו')‬

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