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[Probably short for French empestrer, to constrain, embarrass (probably also influenced by pest), from Old French, from Vulgar Latin* impāstōriāre, Latin in-, in; see in–2, + Vulgar Latin* pāstōria, a hobble, from Latin feminine of pāstōrius, of a herdsman (from pāstor, herdsman; see pā-).]
 | The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2005, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated 2005. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. |
