Impotency

Impotency
Impotence Im"po*tence, Impotency Im"po*ten*cy, n. [L. impotenia inability, poverty, lack of moderation. See {Impotent}.] 1. The quality or condition of being impotent; lack of strength or power, animal, intellectual, or moral; weakness; feebleness; inability; imbecility. [1913 Webster]

Some were poor by impotency of nature; as young fatherless children, old decrepit persons, idiots, and cripples. --Hayward. [1913 Webster]

O, impotence of mind in body strong! --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. Lack of self-restraint or self-control. [R.] --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. (Law & Med.) Lack of procreative power; inability to copulate, or beget children; also, sometimes, sterility; barrenness; specifically, in males: the inability to achieve or sustain a penile erection; erectile dysfunction. [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • impotency — index defect, disability (physical inability), impotence Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • impotency — A term applying to both male and female. 4 Am J2d Annul § 32. Incapacity, whether from malformation or organic defect, to have natural and complete sexual intercourse. 4 Am 12d Annul § 32. Incapacity for ordinary and complete sexual intercourse,… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • impotency — impotent ► ADJECTIVE 1) helpless or powerless. 2) (of a man) abnormally unable to achieve an erection or orgasm. DERIVATIVES impotence noun impotency noun impotently adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • impotency — noun Date: 15th century impotence …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • impotency — noun Variant of impotence …   Wiktionary

  • impotency — im·po·ten·cy ən sē n, pl cies IMPOTENCE * * * im·po·ten·cy (imґpə tən se) impotence …   Medical dictionary

  • impotency — n. weakness, powerlessness, helplessness; inability to sustain an erection, inability to perform sexually (of a male) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • impotency — im·po·ten·cy …   English syllables

  • impotency — noun 1. the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble (Freq. 1) • Syn: ↑powerlessness, ↑impotence • Ant: ↑power (for: ↑powerlessness), ↑powerfulness …   Useful english dictionary

  • impotency quoad hoc — Incapacity for sexual intercourse with this person …   Ballentine's law dictionary

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