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# impair

verb (impair, impairs, impaired, impairing)

«impair» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal) To damage something or make it weaker or worse, as in «Loud noise can impair your hearing». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#m1)
2. «impaired» (adjective) — weakened, as in «hearing impaired» or «visually impaired». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#m2)

### In the lessons

In health and safety lessons: loud music, smoke or lack of sleep can impair hearing, breathing or thinking. In everyday life «visually impaired» is a polite way to say someone has poor eyesight. Phrases: impair your hearing, impaired vision.

### Examples

- Very loud music can impair your hearing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x1)
- Being tired can impair your concentration. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x2)
- Smoke impairs your lungs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x3)
- Our neighbour is visually impaired and has a guide dog. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x4)
- The fog impaired the driver's view. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x5)
- Drugs can impair your judgement. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/#x6)

### Note

Formal; everyday words: damage, weaken, harm. Noun: impairment. «Hearing impaired» and «visually impaired» are respectful terms. Do not confuse with «a pair» or «repair» (to fix).

## In Jewish tradition

Job's friend says Job weakens reverence and prayer toward God by what he says.

**Interpretation.** Eliphaz accuses Job of cutting down devotion. Tradition notes that the friends often misjudge Job and that God later says they spoke wrongly.

### Examples

- Yea, thou doest away with fear, and impairest devotion before God. (Writings JOB.15.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/impair/#x1)

### Note

Formal; everyday words: damage, weaken, harm. Noun: impairment. «Hearing impaired» and «visually impaired» are respectful terms. Do not confuse with «a pair» or «repair» (to fix).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «impair» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/impair/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«impair» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/impair.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «impair» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/impair/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«impair» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/impair.html) on Mova free.