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Also available:
World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français
inhibit
in·hib·it
[
in híbbit
]
(
past and past participle
in·hib·it·ed
,
present participle
in·hib·it·ing
,
3rd person present singular
in·hib·its
)
transitive verb
Definition:
1.
hold something in check:
to stop something from continuing or developing
Changes in spending patterns are likely to inhibit economic growth.
2.
make somebody feel self-conscious:
to prevent somebody from behaving or speaking freely or unselfconsciously
3.
chemistry
stop or restrict chemical reaction:
to prevent or slow down a chemical reaction
4.
physiology
interfere with bodily process or organ:
to slow down or adversely affect a bodily process or the action of an organ
5.
electronics
prevent signal or event:
to prevent a specific signal or event from occurring
[
15th century. < Latin
inhibit-
, past participle of
inhibere
"hinder" <
habere
"to hold"
]
in·hib·it·a·ble
adjective
in·hib·it·ing
adjective
in·hib·i·tive
adjective
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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in·hib·it·a·ble adjectivein·hib·it·ing adjectivein·hib·i·tive adjective
