The word "impeach" is spelled /ɪmˈpiːtʃ/. This word has a few unique features in its phonetic transcription. First, the "i" sound is pronounced like "ih," as in "it." The "m" and "p" sounds are fairly straightforward, but the "ea" combination is pronounced like "ee." Finally, the "ch" sound at the end is pronounced like "tch," as in "catch." "Impeach" is a verb that means to charge a public official with misconduct, and its unique spelling can be a bit tricky to remember.
Impeach is a verb that refers to the formal process of charging a public official, especially the President or other high-ranking government official, with misconduct or the violation of their duties. It involves bringing allegations of wrongdoing against the official to initiate a trial or investigation to determine if they should be removed from office.
Impeachment typically begins with the House of Representatives, which has the power to impeach a public official by accusing them of "high crimes and misdemeanors." This process requires a majority vote in the House. Once impeached, the case is typically passed to the Senate, where a trial is conducted to determine if the accused official should be removed from office or face other consequences. A two-thirds majority in the Senate is required for conviction and removal.
Impeach is a significant political and legal action that is meant to hold public officials accountable for their actions, especially in cases where they abuse their power, commit illegal acts, or engage in behavior that severely undermines the integrity of their office. The process of impeachment is part of the checks and balances system in democratic governments, aiming to prevent unchecked power and protect the interests of the society as a whole.
Overall, impeach denotes the formal process of accusing and potentially removing a public official from office due to misconduct, and it plays a vital role in upholding accountability and integrity in government.
To charge with a crime or misdemeanour; to charge with treason or high public crimes, as a minister of state; to call in question.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "impeach" has an interesting and complex etymology. Its origins can be traced back to the Latin word "impedicare", which means "to fetter" or "to entangle". In medieval Latin, it developed into "impedicare a pedica" meaning "to catch in a snare".
The term evolved further in Old French, where it became "empeechier" meaning "to hinder" or "to prevent". This Old French term was then borrowed into Middle English, transforming into the word "empechen" with the same meanings.
Over time, "empechen" morphed into its modern form, "impeach", in English. By the late 14th century, it specifically began to be used in the legal sense of "to accuse or charge (someone) with misconduct".