impound
to confiscate
TRANSLATION
impound = konfiszieren, beschlagnahmen --- GOOGLE INDEX 2,670,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
"A vintage aircraft that was IMPOUNDED after making an emergency landing at a former airport in bad weather is given permission to leave."
BBC News
BBC News
Did you
know?
impound
verb
- to place (something) in legal custody until a dispute involving it is decided
(The American Heritage Dictionary)
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"Pound" is one of those words that has several seemingly unrelated meanings. It can refer to weight, to an amount in British currency, and, as here, to an enclosure for keeping animals. Since the early 15th century "impound" has been used to mean "to shut up in a pen or pound".
In the early-1800s in London, it was common for city authorities to put stray cows in a pound. Some of the animals belonged to peasants who somehow were able to own a cow (or sheep), but who had no real claim to land.
Because the poor people would let the animals eat grass from property that did not belong to them, the landowner would summon the police. The animals were then taken away and put in a pound.
In today's cities, stray, lost or abandoned dogs and cats are taken to the pound, now generally called "animal shelter".
Automobiles can be impounded, too. For example, cars that are parked in a no-parking zone might be towed away and put in a special enclosed lot. The car's owner must pay a fine to get the car back.
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SYNONYMS
imprison, enclose, lock up, close in, seize, cage, keep
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"They impounded his car after he parked on a double-yellow line."
verb
- to place (something) in legal custody until a dispute involving it is decided
(The American Heritage Dictionary)
---
"Pound" is one of those words that has several seemingly unrelated meanings. It can refer to weight, to an amount in British currency, and, as here, to an enclosure for keeping animals. Since the early 15th century "impound" has been used to mean "to shut up in a pen or pound".
In the early-1800s in London, it was common for city authorities to put stray cows in a pound. Some of the animals belonged to peasants who somehow were able to own a cow (or sheep), but who had no real claim to land.
Because the poor people would let the animals eat grass from property that did not belong to them, the landowner would summon the police. The animals were then taken away and put in a pound.
In today's cities, stray, lost or abandoned dogs and cats are taken to the pound, now generally called "animal shelter".
Automobiles can be impounded, too. For example, cars that are parked in a no-parking zone might be towed away and put in a special enclosed lot. The car's owner must pay a fine to get the car back.
---
SYNONYMS
imprison, enclose, lock up, close in, seize, cage, keep
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"They impounded his car after he parked on a double-yellow line."
