impinge

verb

1. (intransitive, rare, transitive)To make a physical impact on.

   “Loud noise can impinge on the eardrum, causing temporary hearing damage.”

   “The ordinary rocks upon which such men do impinge and precipitate themselves, are cards, dice, hawks, and hounds […]”

   “[...] are bent up at right angles to the plate to form flanges which impinge the opposite sides of the nut, thus preventing the latter from turning. It is evident that the bolt-body proper is in no way mutilated or injured and that[…]”

   “In the second or operative position of the hinged prism, the opaque plate mounting the prism is moved out of the optical path so that light from the laser source is transmitted along the optical path to impinge the target at the[…]”

   “In the near field not only the shock wave but also the expanding products of the explosion will impinge the plate which introduces some[…]”

2. (figuratively, intransitive, rare, transitive)To interfere with.

   “For example, if the trophic fibre is impinged there would be too much or too little gastric juice; if the motor fibre is impinged the muscular contractions of the stomach would be lessened; if the sensory fibre is impinged there[…]”

   “It is astonishing that the meaning of a single declarative sentence enshrined in the Bill of Rights has evaded judicial construction establishing, at a minimum, some bedrock level of state sovereignty upon which the federal government can not impinge.”

3. (figuratively, intransitive)To have an effect upon, especially a negative one.

   “Near-synonym: infringe”

   ““I have tried, as I hinted, to enlist the co-operation of other capitalists, but experience has taught me that any appeal is futile that does not impinge directly upon cupidity.[…]””

   “Nothing in the next-door world of Dachau impinged on the great winter cycle of Beethoven chamber music played in Munich.”

   “Except for a restricted range of examples, growth, stagnation, and decay everywhere in Western Europe can be explained mainly by endogenous forces. The 'world economy', such as it was, hardly impinged [on Europe].”

   “Scarcity impinges on your mind. People behave differently when they perceive a thing to be scarce.”