impotent

• adj.無力な；効果がない；弱々しい；無力な

im-、ない、ない、potent、powerful、effective、語源的にはpowerと同じ、可能。

impotent (adj.)

late 14c., "physically weak, enfeebled, crippled," from Old French impotent "powerless, weak, incapable," from Latin imponentem (nominative impotens) "lacking control, powerless," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + ponentem (nominative potens) "potent" (see potent).

Meaning "having no power to accomplish anything" is from mid-15c.; that of "completely lacking in sexual power" (of males) is from mid-15c. Middle English also had a native term for this: Cunt-beaten (mid-15c.). The figurative sense in Latin was "without self-control, headstrong, violent." Related: Impotently.

1. The aggression of a bully leaves people feeling hurt，angry and impotent .

暴徒の侵犯に人々は心を痛め、怒りを感じながらもどうすることもできない。

2.They sit in impotent opposition while the country goes to the dogs.

国が敗走した際、彼らは弱弱しい反対党に加わった。

3.Without the chairman 's support,the committee is impotent .

議長の支持がなく、委員会は無力である。

4.We felt quite impotent to resist the will of the dictator.

独裁者の意志に抵抗する力がないと感じている。

5.They were virtually impotent against the power of the large companies.

彼らは実際には実力のある大企業に対抗する力がない。