impeachment

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Among those calling for his impeachment are the New York Times and Rep. Jerald Nadler,

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Definitions (9)

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  1. Hindrance; impediment; obstruction. [Obsolete except in law. See impeachment of waste, below.] I do not seek him now; But could be willing to march on to Calais Without impeachment. Shak., Hen. V., iii. 6. The Earl of Warwick, having Notice that his Father the Earl of Salisbury was upon march to meet him, passeth over his Men, and, without Impeachment, joined with him and his Friends near Exeter. Baker, Chronicles, p. 196.
  2. A calling in question; accusation of wrong or error; disparagement: as, an impeachment of one's motives or conduct, or of the credibility of a witness. To let him spend his time no more at home, Which would be great impeachment to his age. Shak., T. G. of V., i. 3. Without any impeachment of the prosperous operation of our system, prejudices may arise between the different sections of the country, etc. Everett, Orations, I. 201.
  3. A calling to account; arraignment; the act of charging with a crime or misdemeanor; specifically, the exhibition of charges of mal-administration against a high public officer before a competent tribunal. In the United States, the House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment of the President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the United States; the Senate has the sole power to try all impeachments, the Chief Justice presiding at the trial of a President; and a two-thirds vote is necessary for conviction. In the case of State officers, there is generally a similar division of functions between the upper and the lower branch of the legislature. In the history of the federal government there have been seven cases of impeachment, the most famous being that of President Johnson in 1868. In only two cases, both of district judges, was a verdict of guilty given. In Great Britain, impeachments are made in the House of Commons and tried by the House of Lords. Prominent impeachments in English history were those of Lord Bacon and Warren Hastings. The practice of impeachment directed against Michael de la Pole in 1386 was revived in 1450 for the destruction of his grandson. Stubbs, Const. Hist., § 371.
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Examples (50)

  • Not in a suit, Euthyphro; impeachment is the word which the Athenians use. —  The Book Of THoTH, Popular Articles from The Archive Category - Wicca
  • Outside of impeachment, which is always on the table in any case, there would be nothing much that anyone could do about it. —  Colloquy : Northwestern University Law Review
  • Edward M. Genson spoke Monday in the dispute over whether the panel considering impeachment will be allowed to hear secret FBI recordings of Blagojevich's phone conversations made in the weeks before his Dec. 9 arrest. —  Latest Headlines - ABC 7 News
  • You see the word impeachment, like I said sometimes ago that if it were to be a concrete thing, I would have taken it to him for keeps; so that he will have that confidence that he has the impeachment in his pocket and that nobody can sack him. —  Vanguard News
  • Anytime they mention impeachment, they know that the governor will begin to pay but this system is unfortunate. —  Vanguard News
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Etymologies (1)

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  1. from Old French empeschement (Middle Latin reflex impechiamentum), French empêchement, hindrance, from empescher, hinder: see impeach.
 

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