impoundment

[ im-pound-muhnt ]

noun

1. a body of water confined within an enclosure, as a reservoir.
2. the act of impounding:

   towing and impoundment of abandoned vehicles.

3. the condition of being impounded.

Word History and Origins

Origin of impoundment¹

First recorded in 1655–65; impound + -ment

Example Sentences

Both the Navajo and Hopi tribes are seeking the ability to lease water and to store it in existing or new reservoirs and impoundments.

From Seattle Times

He responded by threatening chartered buses with impoundment if they did not adhere to limits on arrival times, leading to the end-run in New Jersey.

From Washington Times

The city has said operators began trying to drop people off in neighboring cities to avoid penalties including fines, towing or impoundment.

From Washington Times

You will have to pay the towing cost and any impoundment fees that accumulate.

From Encyclopedia.com

As groundwater levels have risen, so too have concerns about the fate of hundreds of coal ash impoundments — typically unlined pits containing waste from power plants that burn coal for electricity.

From Salon

Related Words

• bondage
• confinement
• custody
• imprisonment
• incarceration
• slavery