1
Stage 1 of 3
passer
Latin/French · medieval
"to pass"
meaning "to pass"
2
Stage 2 of 3
impasse
French · 1700s
"a dead end"
literally "not passable", a dead-end street
3
Stage 3 of 3
impasse
English · 1800s
"a situation with no clear way forward"
adopted figuratively for a deadlock
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