Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac.
- noun A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun An impassable road or way; a blind alley; cul-de-sac; fig., a position or predicament affording no escape.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun a
road with noexit ; acul-de-sac - noun a
deadlock orstalemate situation in which noprogress can be made
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a street with only one way in or out
- noun a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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That was the status quo last Thursday, when, under the collective bargaining laws, the parties meaning the mayor on one side and the unions on the other brought to the commission what is called an "impasse" or stalemate in negotiations, meaning in this case that the parties were deadlocked on one issue, but in agreement on the bulk of the agreement.
Xavier L. Suarez: The Dos and Don'ts of Dealing With an Impasse Xavier L. Suarez 2012
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He said a long-term impasse could well get in the way of any national participation.
What GOP field? 2011
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So, breaking that impasse is VERY welcome, essential and well over due.
Latest on Cork Church records going online… « Cork Genealogist 2010
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Talks were expected to continue Thursday, and few on either side expected a long-term impasse.
Legislature Lets Rent Laws Expire, for Now Eliot Brown 2011
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Roy attacks the impasse from a different perspective.
Pepe Escobar: Letter from Islamophobistan Pepe Escobar 2010
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That was the status quo last Thursday, when, under the collective bargaining laws, the parties meaning the mayor on one side and the unions on the other brought to the commission what is called an "impasse" or stalemate in negotiations, meaning in this case that the parties were deadlocked on one issue, but in agreement on the bulk of the agreement.
Xavier L. Suarez: The Dos and Don'ts of Dealing With an Impasse Xavier L. Suarez 2012
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Talks were expected to continue Thursday, and few on either side expected a long-term impasse.
Legislature Lets Rent Laws Expire, for Now Eliot Brown 2011
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"Florida's Vote-by-mail Plan Gains Few Fans" (Adam Smith and Wes Allison, St. Petersburg Times) The one idea that seemed to offer a way out of the impasse is not exactly popular among those who would be doing or organizing the voting.
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Today the EU is satisfyingly mired in impasse following the Irish vote against the Lisbon treaty.
Archive 2008-08-24 2008
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Today the EU is satisfyingly mired in impasse following the Irish vote against the Lisbon treaty.
blafferty commented on the word impasse
Not to be confused with imp ass.
April 30, 2011