TOP

Definition of impetus noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

impetus

noun
 
/ˈɪmpɪtəs/
 
/ˈɪmpɪtəs/
jump to other results
  1. [uncountable, singular] something that encourages a process or activity to develop more quickly synonym stimulus
    • The debate seems to have lost much of its initial impetus.
    • impetus to something/to do something to give (a) new/fresh impetus to something
    • The Prime Minister’s support will give (an) added impetus to the campaign against crime.
    • impetus for something His articles provided the main impetus for change.
    Extra Examples
    • Each new rumour added fresh impetus to the smear campaign.
    • His disappointment in the World Championships provided the necessary impetus to give everything for this final race.
    • The movement is steadily gaining impetus.
    • The riots lent impetus to attempts to improve conditions for prisoners.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • considerable
    • great
    • powerful
    verb + impetus
    • add
    • give somebody/​something
    • lend something
    impetus + verb
    • come from something
    preposition
    • impetus behind somebody/​something
    • impetus for
    • impetus towards/​toward
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] (specialist) the force or energy with which something moves
    • The slope added impetus to his speed.
  3. Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘assault, force’, from impetere ‘assail’, from in- ‘towards’ + petere ‘seek’.
See impetus in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee impetus in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
trait
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 5000
B2
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day