impoundment

Also im·pound·age

[im-pound-muhnt]

noun

1. a body of water confined within an enclosure, as a reservoir.

2. the act of impounding.

   towing and impoundment of abandoned vehicles.

3. the condition of being impounded.

Word History and Origins

Origin of impoundment¹

First recorded in 1655–65; impound + -ment

Example Sentences

One last miss: The Democrats got rolled on a call for language that would prevent the White House from engaging in future impoundments or rescissions of congressional funds.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But by the time Richard Nixon entered office in 1969, impoundments weren’t just about efficiency.

Read more on Barron's

“We have very large differences, on healthcare, and on their ability to undo whatever budget we agree to, through rescissions and through impoundment,” Schumer said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Among the offenses he cited are Trump’s denial of due process to expelled immigrants, impoundment of congressionally authorized spending and open solicitation of foreign emoluments.

Read more on Salon

It is unclear whether the Supreme Court will give in to the president’s fringe interpretation, though the court recently narrowly ruled against the Trump administration’s illegal impoundment of $2 billion in Congressionally approved foreign aid.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• bondage 
• confinement 
• custody 
• imprisonment 
• incarceration 
• slavery