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Webster 1913 Edition

Impoverish

Im-pov′er-ish

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Impoverished
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Impoverishing
.]
[OF.
empovrir
; pref.
em-
(L.
in
) +
povre
poor, F.
pauvre
; cf. OF.
apovrir
, F.
appauvrir
, where the prefix is
a-
, L.
ad
. Cf.
Empoverish
, and see
Poor
, and
-ish
.]
1.
To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence;
as, misfortune and disease
impoverish
families
.
2.
To exhaust the strength, richness, or fertility of; to make sterile;
as, to
impoverish
land
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Impoverish

IMPOV'ERISH

, v.t.
1.
To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence. Idleness and vice are sure to impoverish individuals and families.
2.
To exhaust strength, richness or fertility; as, to impoverish land by frequent cropping.

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