Im-pōv'er-ish, v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. IMPOVERISHED (im-pōv'er-isht); p. pr. & vb. n. IMPOVERISHING.] [Prefix im, not, and O. Fr. povre, pauvre, poor; O. Fr. apovrir, N. Fr. appauvrir, It. impoverire, Sp. empobrecer. See POOR.] [Written also empovrish.]

1. To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence; as, misfortune and disease impoverish individuals and families.
2. To exhaust the strength, richness, or fertility of; to make sterile; as, to impoverish land by frequent cropping.