impossible

impossible
I
(Roget's IV) modif.
1. [Incapable of being considered]
Syn. inconceivable, unthinkable, vain, hopeless, infeasible, unachievable, unattainable, out of the question, insurmountable, useless, impassable, inaccessible, unworkable, preposterous, absurd, illogical, incredible, untenable, implausible, unimaginable, unobtainable, not to be thought of, hardly possible, beyond the bounds of possibility, like finding a needle in a haystack*, a hundred to one*; see also futile 1 , hopeless 2 .
Ant. possible*, likely, reasonable.
2. [Having little likelihood of accomplishment]
Syn. improbable, unlikely, impracticable, too much for; see difficult 1 , 2 .
3. [UndeSirable; said of things ]
Syn. unacceptable, improper, objectionable, incongruous; see offensive 2 , undeSirable , unsuitable .
4. [Disagreeable; said of persons ]
Syn. difficult, unmanageable, hard to deal with; see irritable , obstinate , undeSirable .
II
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.
inconceivable, unachievable, unfeasible, unobtainable, insurmountable, unreachable, beyond reason, unthinkable, preposterous, absurd, hopeless.
ANT.: possible, conceivable, feasible
III
(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Not capable of happening or being done: impracticable, impractical, unattainable, unrealizable, unthinkable, unworkable. Idiom: out of the question. See POSSIBLE. 2. So unpleasant or painful as not to be endured or tolerated: insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, unsufferable, unsupportable. See PAIN. 3. Given to acting in opposition to others: balky, contrarious, contrary, difficult, froward, ornery, perverse, wayward. See ATTITUDE, SUPPORT.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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  • impossible — [ ɛ̃pɔsibl ] adj. et n. m. • 1227; lat. impossibilis ♦ Qui ne peut être, exister; qui n est pas possible. I ♦ Adj. 1 ♦ Qui ne peut se produire, être atteint ou réalisé. Cette éventualité lui paraît impossible. ⇒ inenvisageable. Solution… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • impossible — Impossible. adj. de tout genre. Qui ne peut estre, qui ne se peut faire. Le mouvement perpetuel est impossible. la quadrature du cercle est regardée comme impossible. il n y a rien d impossible à Dieu. cela est moralement impossible. Il se dit… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • impossible — Impossible, Impossibilis. Il est impossible d avantage, Nihil supra. Il est impossible de faire aujourd huy tellement l ouvrage, que tousjours il n y ait à refaire, Numquam hoc vno die efficiatur opus, quin opus semper fiet. Il est impossible que …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Impossible — Im*pos si*ble, a. [F., fr. L. impossibilis; pref. im not + possibilis possible. See {Possible}.] Not possible; incapable of being done, of existing, etc.; unattainable in the nature of things, or by means at command; insuperably difficult under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Impossible — Im*pos si*ble, n. An impossibility; as, he tried to do the impossible. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Madam, quoth he, this were an impossible! Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impossible — im·pos·si·ble adj: not possible: incapable of being done, attained, or fulfilled a party s performance is impossible in part Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. impossible …   Law dictionary

  • impossible — [im päs′ə bəl] adj. [OFr < L impossibilis: see IN 2 & POSSIBLE] 1. not capable of being, being done, or happening 2. not capable of being done easily or conveniently 3. not capable of being endured, used, agreed to, etc. because disagreeable… …   English World dictionary

  • impossible — (adj.) late 14c., from O.Fr. impossible, from L. impossibilis not possible, from assimilated form of in not, opposite of (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + possibilis (see POSSIBLE (Cf. possible)). Related: Impossibly …   Etymology dictionary

  • impossible — [adj1] beyond the bounds of possibility absurd, beyond, contrary to reason, cureless, futile, hardly possible, hopeless, hundred to one*, impassable, impervious, impracticable, impractical, inaccessible, inconceivable, inexecutable, infeasible,… …   New thesaurus

  • impossible — ► ADJECTIVE 1) not able to occur, exist, or be done. 2) very difficult to deal with: an impossible situation. DERIVATIVES impossibility noun (pl. impossibilities) impossibly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • impossible — (in po si bl ) adj. 1°   Qui ne peut être, qui ne peut se faire. •   Tout ce qui n est pas aisé, ils [les lâches conseillers] le nomment impossible, BALZAC De la cour, 5e disc.. •   À qui sait bien aimer il n est rien d impossible, CORN. Médée, V …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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