verb

impound

ihm-POWND

verb

To seize and hold something officially, often as a penalty or for legal reasons.

"Police impounded the car after finding it had no valid insurance."

"The airline impounded her luggage when the tags didn't match."

noun

A place where impounded vehicles or property are stored.

"He had to pay a fee to get his van out of the impound."

How to Use Impound

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo officially take and hold something, usually because a rule was broken.

Common pairings

impound a vehicle impound lot impound funds

impounded past tense, impounds plural, impounds singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Police _____ the car after finding it had no valid insurance.

From im- + pound (an enclosure for stray animals) — literally "to shut up in a pound."

pound wound sound bound found round hound mound abound ground around rebound