Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense impounds, present participle impounding, past tense, past participle impounded
verb
If something is impounded by the police, customs officers or other officials, they officially take possession of it because a law or rule has been broken.
The ship was impounded under the terms of the U.N. trade embargo. [beVERB-ed]
The police moved in, arrested him and impounded the cocaine. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: confiscate, appropriate, seize, commandeer More Synonyms of impound
impound in British English
(ɪmˈpaʊnd)
verb(transitive)
1.
to confine (stray animals, illegally parked cars, etc) in a pound
2.
a.
to seize (chattels, etc) by legal right
b.
to take possession of (a document, evidence, etc) and hold in legal custody
3.
to collect (water) in a reservoir or dam, as for irrigation
4.
to seize or appropriate
Derived forms
impoundable (imˈpoundable)
adjective
impoundage (imˈpoundage) or impoundment (imˈpoundment)
noun
impounder (imˈpounder)
noun
impound in American English
(ɪmˈpaʊnd)
verb transitive
1.
to shut up (an animal) in a pound
2.
to take and hold (a document, funds, a vehicle, etc.) in legal custody
3.
to gather and enclose (water) for irrigation, etc.
Derived forms
impoundment (imˈpoundment)
noun
Examples of 'impound' in a sentence
impound
Then her car had been impounded because of a stack of unpaid parking tickets.
Christianity Today (2000)
The driver was given a fixed penalty notice and the car was impounded.
The Sun (2007)
She also faced having her car impounded after a hearing last night.
The Sun (2007)
He thought that he was paying a release fee for the two impounded vehicles.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Not long afterwards, news seeped out that his licence had been revoked and his car impounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Earlier this year officers impounded a car with no insurance on the M1.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The supposedly impounded ship simply upped anchor and sailed off, raising questions over security.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A police search of his house after his arrest failed to find lethal weapons but it is understood his car was impounded.
The Sun (2016)
The plot was foiled after one of the men made an error when he took out car insurance, and the vehicle was impounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was impounded by police and kept in a lock-up until 1980 before being flogged.
The Sun (2009)
The team's F1 cars are impounded.
The Sun (2014)
If caught, drivers face an 80 fixed penalty and could have their vehicle impounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Afghan security services had impounded vehicles owned by the firm - and demanded a 16,500 release fee.
The Sun (2010)
In some cases if the driver refuses, or is unable to pay, the vehicle may be impounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
impound
British English: impound VERB
If something is impounded by police officers or customs officers, they officially take possession of it because a law or rule has been broken.
The ship was impounded under the terms of the trade embargo.
American English: impound
Brazilian Portuguese: confiscar
Chinese: 扣押
European Spanish: embargar
French: saisir
German: beschlagnahmen
Italian: confiscare
Japanese: 押収される
Korean: 압수되다
European Portuguese: confiscar
Latin American Spanish: embargar
(verb)
Definition
to take legal possession of
The police arrested him and impounded the cocaine.
Synonyms
confiscate
They confiscated weapons, ammunition and propaganda material.
appropriate
Several other newspapers have appropriated the idea.
seize
Police were reported to have seized all copies of the newspaper.
commandeer
The soldiers commandeered vehicles in the capital.
sequester
Everything he owned was sequestered.
expropriate (formal)
The Bolsheviks expropriated the property of the landowners.
sequestrate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of appropriate
Definition
to take for one's own use without permission
Several other newspapers have appropriated the idea.
Synonyms
seize,
take,
claim,
assume,
take over,
acquire,
confiscate,
annex,
usurp,
impound,
pre-empt,
commandeer,
take possession of,
expropriate (formal),
arrogate
in the sense of commandeer
Definition
to take as if by right
The soldiers commandeered vehicles in the capital.
Synonyms
seize,
appropriate,
hijack,
confiscate,
requisition,
sequester,
expropriate (formal),
sequestrate
in the sense of expropriate
Definition
(of a government or other official body) to take (money or property) away from its owners
The Bolsheviks expropriated the property of the landowners.