3 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

impel

verb

1: urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate [syn: {force}]

2: cause to move forward with force; "Steam propels this ship" [syn: {propel}] [also: {impelling}, {impelled}]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Impel \Im*pel"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Impelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Impelling}.] [L. impellere; pref. im- in + pellere, pulsum, to drive. See {Pulse} a beat, and cf. {Impulse}.] To drive or urge forward or on; to press on; to incite to action or motion in any way.

The surge impelled me on a craggy coast. --Pope.

Syn: To instigate; incite; induce; influence; force; drive; urge; actuate; move.

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

68 Moby Thesaurus words for "impel": actuate, advance, animate, beset, bind, bowl, bunt, butt, cause, cause to, compel, constrain, drive, drive on, energize, enforce, foment, force, forward, foster, galvanize, give an impetus, give momentum, goad, grip, have, hold, incite, infatuate, inspire, instigate, make, mobilize, motivate, move, move to action, not let go, nudge, obsess, pedal, pole, possess, power, preoccupy, promote, propel, push, put in motion, restrain, roll, row, set agoing, set going, set in motion, shove, shunt, spark, spur, stimulate, sweep, sweep along, thrust, tie, treadle, troll, trundle, use force upon, whip on

  Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information.