Standard Lemma guide

impound

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊnd
  • /ˈɪmpaʊ̯nd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P AW1 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A place in which impounded things are stored.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The state of being impounded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

That which has been impounded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Amounts collected from a debtor and held by one with a security interest in property for payment of property taxes and insurance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: banking, business, law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To shut up or place in an enclosure called a pound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • His car was impounded after he parked it illegally.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To hold back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • water impounded by a dam

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To hold in the custody of a court or its delegate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: law

Examples

  • to impound stray cattle
  • to impound a document for safekeeping.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To collect and hold (funds) for payment of property taxes and insurance on property in which one has a security interest.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: banking, business, law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

place or shut up in a pound

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • pound the cows so they don't stray

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pound

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: restrain, confine, hold

10

verb

Meaning 10

take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The FBI seized the drugs
  • The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment
  • The police confiscated the stolen artwork

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: attach, sequester, confiscate, seize

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: take

Narrower terms: condemn, garnishee, garnish, distrain

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English im- English pound English impound From im- + pound.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 蓄水 (xùshuǐ) — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Czech: zabavit — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Czech: zadržet — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Georgian: ჩაკეტვა (čaḳeṭva) — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Georgian: ჩარაზმვა (čarazmva) — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Māori: pāuna — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Māori: tōkiāri — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Russian: запира́ть (zapirátʹ) — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Russian: заточа́ть (zatočátʹ) — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Spanish: encerrar — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Spanish: confiscar — to shut up or place in an inclosure called a pound
  • Czech: zadržet — to hold back
  • Czech: zadržovat — to hold back
  • Spanish: retener — to hold back
  • Catalan: confiscar — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 拘留 (jūliú) — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Czech: obstavit — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Czech: vzít do soudní úschovy — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Dutch: confisqueren — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Dutch: in beslag nemen — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Finnish: takavarikoida — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • French: confisquer — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Georgian: კონფისკაცია (ḳonpisḳacia) — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • German: beschlagnahmen — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • German: konfiszieren — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Italian: requisire — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Italian: sequestrare — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Luxembourgish: beschlagnahmen — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Māori: taumanu — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Māori: tōkiāri — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Russian: конфискова́ть (konfiskovátʹ) — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Slovak: skonfiškovať — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Slovak: konfiškovať — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Slovak: zhabať — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Spanish: confiscar — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Spanish: incautar — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate
  • Spanish: requisar — to hold in the custody of a court or its delegate