| block | | |
| n. (artifact) | 1. block | a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides).; "the pyramids were built with large stone blocks" |
| ~ artefact, artifact | a man-made object taken as a whole. |
| ~ anvil | a heavy block of iron or steel on which hot metals are shaped by hammering. |
| ~ briquet, briquette | a block made from charcoal or coal dust and burned as fuel. |
| ~ cake, bar | a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax).; "a bar of chocolate" |
| ~ chock, wedge | a block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object. |
| ~ chopping block | a steady wooden block on which food can be cut or diced or wood can be split. |
| ~ crosshead | metal block that connects to a piston; it slides on parallel guides and moves a connecting rod back and forth. |
| ~ square block, cube | a block in the (approximate) shape of a cube. |
| ~ domino | a small rectangular block used in playing the game of dominoes; the face of each block has two equal areas that can bear 0 to 6 dots. |
| ~ block of metal, ingot, metal bar | metal that is cast in the shape of a block for convenient handling. |
| ~ nog | a wooden block built into a masonry wall so that joinery structure can be nailed to it. |
| ~ nut | a small (usually square or hexagonal) metal block with internal screw thread to be fitted onto a bolt. |
| ~ inking pad, inkpad, stamp pad, pad | a block of absorbent material saturated with ink; used to transfer ink evenly to a rubber stamp. |
| ~ slab | block consisting of a thick piece of something. |
| ~ starting block | block providing bracing for a runner's feet at start of a race. |
| ~ step | a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed. |
| ~ swage block | an iron block cut with holes and grooves to assist in cold working metal. |
| ~ type | a small metal block bearing a raised character on one end; produces a printed character when inked and pressed on paper.; "he dropped a case of type, so they made him pick them up" |
| n. (location) | 2. block, city block | a rectangular area in a city surrounded by streets and usually containing several buildings.; "he lives in the next block" |
| ~ area, country | a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).; "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country" |
| n. (shape) | 3. block, cube | a three-dimensional shape with six square or rectangular sides. |
| ~ goldbrick | a brick-shaped block that looks like gold but is not. |
| ~ solid | a three-dimensional shape. |
| n. (group) | 4. block | a number or quantity of related things dealt with as a unit.; "he reserved a large block of seats"; "he held a large block of the company's stock" |
| ~ aggregation, collection, accumulation, assemblage | several things grouped together or considered as a whole. |
| n. (artifact) | 5. block | housing in a large building that is divided into separate units.; "there is a block of classrooms in the west wing" |
| ~ cellblock, ward | a division of a prison (usually consisting of several cells). |
| ~ housing, living accommodations, lodging | structures collectively in which people are housed. |
| ~ hospital ward, ward | block forming a division of a hospital (or a suite of rooms) shared by patients who need a similar kind of care.; "they put her in a 4-bed ward" |
| n. (quantity) | 6. block | (computer science) a sector or group of sectors that function as the smallest data unit permitted.; "since blocks are often defined as a single sector, the terms `block' and `sector' are sometimes used interchangeably" |
| ~ computer science, computing | the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures. |
| ~ computer memory unit | a unit for measuring computer memory. |
| ~ sector | the minimum track length that can be assigned to store information; unless otherwise specified a sector of data consists of 512 bytes. |
| ~ bad block | (computer science) a block (usually one sector) that cannot reliably hold data. |
| n. (cognition) | 7. block, mental block | an inability to remember or think of something you normally can do; often caused by emotional tension.; "I knew his name perfectly well but I had a temporary block" |
| ~ inability | lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something. |
| ~ writer's block | an inability to write.; "he had writer's block; the words wouldn't come" |
| n. (artifact) | 8. block, pulley, pulley block, pulley-block | a simple machine consisting of a wheel with a groove in which a rope can run to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope. |
| ~ block and tackle | pulley blocks with associated rope or cable. |
| ~ bullock block, bollock | a pulley-block at the head of a topmast. |
| ~ fairlead | a pulley-block used to guide a rope forming part of a ship's rigging to avoid chafing. |
| ~ idle pulley, idle wheel, idler pulley | a pulley on a shaft that presses against a guide belt to guide or tighten it. |
| ~ simple machine, machine | a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point. |
| n. (artifact) | 9. block, cylinder block, engine block | a metal casting containing the cylinders and cooling ducts of an engine.; "the engine had to be replaced because the block was cracked" |
| ~ casting, cast | object formed by a mold. |
| ~ piston chamber, cylinder | a chamber within which piston moves. |
| ~ internal-combustion engine, ice | a heat engine in which combustion occurs inside the engine rather than in a separate furnace; heat expands a gas that either moves a piston or turns a gas turbine. |
| ~ reciprocating engine | an internal-combustion engine in which the crankshaft is turned by pistons moving up and down in cylinders. |
| n. (artifact) | 10. block, blockage, closure, occlusion, stop, stoppage | an obstruction in a pipe or tube.; "we had to call a plumber to clear out the blockage in the drainpipe" |
| ~ breech closer, breechblock | a metal block in breech-loading firearms that is withdrawn to insert a cartridge and replaced to close the breech before firing. |
| ~ impedimenta, obstruction, impediment, obstructer, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| ~ plug, stopple, stopper | blockage consisting of an object designed to fill a hole tightly. |
| ~ vapor lock, vapour lock | a stoppage in a pipeline caused by gas bubbles (especially a stoppage that develops in hot weather in an internal-combustion engine when fuel in the gas line boils and forms bubbles that block the flow of gasoline to the carburetor). |
| n. (artifact) | 11. auction block, block | a platform from which an auctioneer sells.; "they put their paintings on the block" |
| ~ platform | a raised horizontal surface.; "the speaker mounted the platform" |
| n. (act) | 12. block, blocking | the act of obstructing or deflecting someone's movements. |
| ~ obstruction | getting in someone's way. |
| ~ interference | (American football) blocking a player's path with your body.; "he ran interference for the quarterback" |
| ~ trap block | (American football) an illegal block. |
| ~ parry | (fencing) blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular motion of the sword. |
| v. (contact) | 13. bar, barricade, block, block off, block up, blockade, stop | render unsuitable for passage.; "block the way"; "barricade the streets"; "stop the busy road" |
| ~ obturate, occlude, close up, impede, obstruct, jam, block | block passage through.; "obstruct the path" |
| ~ block off, close off, shut off | block off the passage through.; "We shut off the valve" |
| ~ close | bar access to.; "Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours" |
| ~ obstruct, block | shut out from view or get in the way so as to hide from sight.; "The thick curtain blocked the action on the stage"; "The trees obstruct my view of the mountains" |
| v. (social) | 14. block, blockade, embarrass, hinder, obstruct, stymie, stymy | hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of.; "His brother blocked him at every turn" |
| ~ stonewall | obstruct or hinder any discussion.; "Nixon stonewalled the Watergate investigation"; "When she doesn't like to face a problem, she simply stonewalls" |
| ~ foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid | keep from happening or arising; make impossible.; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" |
| ~ filibuster | obstruct deliberately by delaying. |
| ~ check | block or impede (a player from the opposing team) in ice hockey. |
| ~ hang | prevent from reaching a verdict, of a jury. |
| ~ bottleneck | slow down or impede by creating an obstruction.; "His laziness has bottlenecked our efforts to reform the system" |
| v. (social) | 15. block, halt, kibosh, stop | stop from happening or developing.; "Block his election"; "Halt the process" |
| ~ embargo | prevent commerce.; "The U.S. embargoes Libya" |
| ~ foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid | keep from happening or arising; make impossible.; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" |
| ~ stay | stop a judicial process.; "The judge stayed the execution order" |
| v. (communication) | 16. block, jam | interfere with or prevent the reception of signals.; "Jam the Voice of America"; "block the signals emitted by this station" |
| ~ cut off, disrupt, interrupt, break up | make a break in.; "We interrupt the program for the following messages" |
| ~ barrage jam | jam an entire frequency spectrum.; "During the Cold War, the Soviets routinely barrage jammed to interfere with transmissions from the West" |
| ~ point jam | jam a narrow band of frequencies.; "We can counter point-jamming effectively" |
| ~ spot jam | jam a single frequency.; "This operator is spot-jammed" |
| ~ blanket jam | jam a broad spectrum of frequencies to affect all communications in the area except for directional antenna communications. |
| v. (social) | 17. block | run on a block system.; "block trains" |
| ~ operate, run | direct or control; projects, businesses, etc..; "She is running a relief operation in the Sudan" |
| v. (perception) | 18. block | interrupt the normal function of by means of anesthesia.; "block a nerve"; "block a muscle" |
| ~ anaesthetise, anaesthetize, anesthetise, anesthetize, put under, put out | administer an anesthetic drug to.; "The patient must be anesthetized before the operation"; "anesthetize the gum before extracting the teeth" |
| v. (perception) | 19. block, obstruct | shut out from view or get in the way so as to hide from sight.; "The thick curtain blocked the action on the stage"; "The trees obstruct my view of the mountains" |
| ~ barricade, block, block up, bar, block off, blockade, stop | render unsuitable for passage.; "block the way"; "barricade the streets"; "stop the busy road" |
| ~ conceal, hide | prevent from being seen or discovered.; "Muslim women hide their faces"; "hide the money" |
| v. (contact) | 20. block | stamp or emboss a title or design on a book with a block.; "block the book cover" |
| ~ boss, emboss, stamp | raise in a relief.; "embossed stationery" |
| v. (contact) | 21. block, choke up, lug, stuff | obstruct.; "My nose is all stuffed"; "Her arteries are blocked" |
| ~ clog, clog up, congest, choke off, foul, back up, choke | become or cause to become obstructed.; "The leaves clog our drains in the Fall"; "The water pipe is backed up" |
| v. (contact) | 22. block, close up, impede, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude | block passage through.; "obstruct the path" |
| ~ block off, blockade | obstruct access to. |
| ~ barricado, barricade | block off with barricades. |
| ~ barricade | prevent access to by barricading.; "The street where the President lives is always barricaded" |
| ~ asphyxiate, suffocate, stifle, choke | impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of.; "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children" |
| ~ tie up | restrain from moving or operating normally.; "Traffic is tied up for miles around the bridge where the accident occurred" |
| ~ dam, dam up | obstruct with, or as if with, a dam.; "dam the gorges of the Yangtse River" |
| ~ block out, screen | prevent from entering.; "block out the strong sunlight" |
| ~ earth up, land up | block with earth, as after a landslide. |
| ~ barricade, block, block up, bar, block off, blockade, stop | render unsuitable for passage.; "block the way"; "barricade the streets"; "stop the busy road" |
| ~ clog, clog up, congest, choke off, foul, back up, choke | become or cause to become obstructed.; "The leaves clog our drains in the Fall"; "The water pipe is backed up" |
| ~ hinder, impede | be a hindrance or obstacle to.; "She is impeding the progress of our project" |
| v. (contact) | 23. block | support, secure, or raise with a block.; "block a plate for printing"; "block the wheels of a car" |
| ~ hold up, support, sustain, hold | be the physical support of; carry the weight of.; "The beam holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam"; "What's holding that mirror?" |
| v. (competition) | 24. block, deflect, parry | impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball).; "block an attack" |
| ~ fence | fight with fencing swords. |
| v. (cognition) | 25. blank out, block, draw a blank, forget | be unable to remember.; "I'm drawing a blank"; "You are blocking the name of your first wife!" |
| ~ slip one's mind, slip | pass out of one's memory. |
| v. (change) | 26. block | shape by using a block.; "Block a hat"; "block a garment" |
| ~ shape, form | give shape or form to.; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character" |
| v. (change) | 27. block | shape into a block or blocks.; "block the graphs so one can see the results clearly" |
| ~ shape, form | give shape or form to.; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character" |
| v. (change) | 28. block, freeze, immobilise, immobilize | prohibit the conversion or use of (assets).; "Blocked funds"; "Freeze the assets of this hostile government" |
| ~ withhold, keep back | hold back; refuse to hand over or share.; "The father is withholding the allowance until the son cleans his room" |
| blockade | | |
| n. (act) | 1. blockade, encirclement | a war measure that isolates some area of importance to the enemy. |
| ~ military action, action | a military engagement.; "he saw action in Korea" |
| ~ naval blockade | the interdiction of a nation's lines of communication at sea by the use of naval power. |
| ~ beleaguering, besieging, military blockade, siege | the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack. |
| ~ armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine | the military forces of a nation.; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| n. (artifact) | 2. blockade | prevents access or progress. |
| ~ impedimenta, obstruction, impediment, obstructer, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| v. (competition) | 3. block off, blockade | obstruct access to. |
| ~ obturate, occlude, close up, impede, obstruct, jam, block | block passage through.; "obstruct the path" |
| v. (competition) | 4. blockade, seal off | impose a blockade on. |
| ~ besiege, circumvent, beleaguer, hem in, surround | surround so as to force to give up.; "The Turks besieged Vienna" |
| hinder | | |
| v. (social) | 1. hinder, impede | be a hindrance or obstacle to.; "She is impeding the progress of our project" |
| ~ obturate, occlude, close up, impede, obstruct, jam, block | block passage through.; "obstruct the path" |
| ~ prevent, keep | stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state.; "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles" |
| ~ inhibit | limit, block, or decrease the action or function of.; "inhibit the action of the enzyme"; "inhibit the rate of a chemical reaction" |
| ~ interfere | come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle.; "Your talking interferes with my work!" |
| ~ set back | slow down the progress of; hinder.; "His late start set him back" |
| ~ hobble | hamper the action or progress of.; "The chairman was hobbled by the all-powerful dean" |
| ~ stunt | check the growth or development of.; "You will stunt your growth by building all these muscles" |
| v. (competition) | 2. hamper, handicap, hinder | put at a disadvantage.; "The brace I have to wear is hindering my movements" |
| ~ disadvantage, disfavor, disfavour | put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm.; "This rule clearly disadvantages me" |
| adj. | 3. back, hind, hinder | located at or near the back of an animal.; "back (or hind) legs"; "the hinder part of a carcass" |
| ~ posterior | located at or near or behind a part or near the end of a structure. |
| impede | | |
| thwart | | |
| n. (artifact) | 1. cross thwart, thwart | a crosspiece spreading the gunnels of a boat; used as a seat in a rowboat. |
| ~ crosspiece | a transverse brace. |
| ~ dinghy, dory, rowboat | a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled. |
| v. (social) | 2. baffle, bilk, cross, foil, frustrate, queer, scotch, spoil, thwart | hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of.; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent" |
| ~ disappoint, let down | fail to meet the hopes or expectations of.; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" |
| ~ foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid | keep from happening or arising; make impossible.; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" |
| ~ dash | destroy or break.; "dashed ambitions and hopes" |
| ~ short-circuit | hamper the progress of; impede.; "short-circuit warm feelings" |
| ~ ruin | destroy or cause to fail.; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" |
| barrier | | |
| n. (artifact) | 1. barrier | a structure or object that impedes free movement. |
| ~ balusters, balustrade, banister, handrail, bannister | a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling. |
| ~ barricade | a barrier (usually thrown up hastily) to impede the advance of an enemy.; "they stormed the barricade" |
| ~ breakwater, groyne, jetty, seawall, bulwark, groin, mole | a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away. |
| ~ bulwark | a fencelike structure around a deck (usually plural). |
| ~ crash barrier | a strong protective barrier that is erected around a racetrack or in the middle of a dual-lane highway in order to reduce the likelihood of severe accidents. |
| ~ dam, dike, dyke | a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea. |
| ~ fence, fencing | a barrier that serves to enclose an area. |
| ~ fender, wing | a barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud.; "in Britain they call a fender a wing" |
| ~ grating, grate | a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air. |
| ~ hurdle | a light movable barrier that competitors must leap over in certain races. |
| ~ movable barrier | a barrier that can be moved to allow passage. |
| ~ impedimenta, obstruction, impediment, obstructer, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| ~ rail, railing | a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports. |
| ~ revetment | a barrier against explosives. |
| ~ barricade, roadblock | a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.. |
| ~ starting gate, starting stall | a movable barrier on the starting line of a race course. |
| n. (cognition) | 2. barrier, roadblock | any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective.; "intolerance is a barrier to understanding" |
| ~ obstacle, obstruction | something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted.; "lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement"; "the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education"; "the filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan" |
| ~ ideological barrier | a barrier to cooperation or interaction resulting from conflicting ideologies. |
| ~ language barrier | barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages. |
| n. (object) | 3. barrier | anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access. |
| ~ bar | a submerged (or partly submerged) ridge in a river or along a shore.; "the boat ran aground on a submerged bar in the river" |
| ~ blood-brain barrier | a mechanism that creates a barrier between brain tissues and circulating blood; serves to protect the central nervous system.; "the brain was protected from the large molecules of the virus by the blood-brain barrier" |
| ~ curtain | any barrier to communication or vision.; "a curtain of secrecy"; "a curtain of trees" |
| ~ mechanism | a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function.; "the mechanism of the ear"; "the mechanism of infection" |
| hazard | | |
| n. (state) | 1. endangerment, hazard, jeopardy, peril, risk | a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune.; "drinking alcohol is a health hazard" |
| ~ danger | a cause of pain or injury or loss.; "he feared the dangers of traveling by air" |
| ~ health hazard | hazard to the health of those exposed to it. |
| ~ moral hazard | (economics) the lack of any incentive to guard against a risk when you are protected against it (as by insurance).; "insurance companies are exposed to a moral hazard if the insured party is not honest" |
| ~ occupational hazard | any condition of a job that can result in illness or injury. |
| ~ sword of damocles | a constant and imminent peril.; "the possibility hangs over their heads like the sword of Damocles" |
| n. (phenomenon) | 2. chance, fortune, hazard, luck | an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another.; "bad luck caused his downfall"; "we ran into each other by pure chance" |
| ~ phenomenon | any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning. |
| ~ mischance, mishap, bad luck | an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate.; "if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all" |
| ~ even chance, toss-up, tossup | an unpredictable phenomenon.; "it's a toss-up whether he will win or lose" |
| n. (artifact) | 3. hazard | an obstacle on a golf course. |
| ~ bunker, sand trap, trap | a hazard on a golf course. |
| ~ golf course, links course | course consisting of a large landscaped area for playing golf. |
| ~ obstacle | an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented). |
| ~ water hazard | hazard provided by ponds of water that the golfer must avoid. |
| v. (communication) | 4. guess, hazard, pretend, venture | put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation.; "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong" |
| ~ forebode, predict, prognosticate, foretell, promise, anticipate, call | make a prediction about; tell in advance.; "Call the outcome of an election" |
| ~ suspect, surmise | imagine to be the case or true or probable.; "I suspect he is a fugitive"; "I surmised that the butler did it" |
| ~ speculate | talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion.; "We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal" |
| v. (social) | 5. adventure, hazard, jeopardize, stake, venture | put at risk.; "I will stake my good reputation for this" |
| ~ lay on the line, put on the line, risk | expose to a chance of loss or damage.; "We risked losing a lot of money in this venture"; "Why risk your life?"; "She laid her job on the line when she told the boss that he was wrong" |
| v. (social) | 6. adventure, chance, gamble, hazard, risk, run a risk, take a chance, take chances | take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome.; "When you buy these stocks you are gambling" |
| ~ attempt, essay, try, assay, seek | make an effort or attempt.; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world" |
| ~ go for broke | risk everything in one big effort.; "the cyclist went for broke at the end of the race" |
| ~ luck it, luck through | act by relying on one's luck. |
| hindrance | | |
| n. (cognition) | 1. balk, baulk, check, deterrent, handicap, hinderance, hindrance, impediment | something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress. |
| ~ difficulty | a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result.; "serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent" |
| ~ albatross, millstone | (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps.; "she was an albatross around his neck" |
| ~ bind | something that hinders as if with bonds. |
| ~ diriment impediment | (canon law) an impediment that invalidates a marriage (such as the existence of a prior marriage). |
| ~ drag | something that slows or delays progress.; "taxation is a drag on the economy"; "too many laws are a drag on the use of new land" |
| ~ obstacle, obstruction | something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted.; "lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement"; "the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education"; "the filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan" |
| ~ straitjacket | anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines.; "they defected because Russian dance was in a straitjacket"; "the government is operating in an economic straitjacket" |
| n. (artifact) | 2. encumbrance, hinderance, hindrance, hitch, incumbrance, interference, preventative, preventive | any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome. |
| ~ clog | any object that acts as a hindrance or obstruction. |
| ~ impedimenta, obstruction, impediment, obstructer, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| ~ speed bump | a hindrance to speeding created by a crosswise ridge in the surface of a roadway. |
| n. (act) | 3. hinderance, hindrance, interference | the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding. |
| ~ human action, human activity, act, deed | something that people do or cause to happen. |
| ~ foiling, thwarting, frustration | an act of hindering someone's plans or efforts. |
| ~ antagonism | (biochemistry) interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure. |
| ~ obstruction | the act of obstructing.; "obstruction of justice" |
| ~ complication | the act or process of complicating. |
| ~ deterrence | the act or process of discouraging actions or preventing occurrences by instilling fear or doubt or anxiety. |
| ~ prevention, bar | the act of preventing.; "there was no bar against leaving"; "money was allocated to study the cause and prevention of influenza" |
| impediment | | |
| n. (artifact) | 1. impediment, impedimenta, obstructer, obstruction, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| ~ bar | an obstruction (usually metal) placed at the top of a goal.; "it was an excellent kick but the ball hit the bar" |
| ~ barrier | a structure or object that impedes free movement. |
| ~ blockade | prevents access or progress. |
| ~ blockage, stoppage, occlusion, closure, block, stop | an obstruction in a pipe or tube.; "we had to call a plumber to clear out the blockage in the drainpipe" |
| ~ hinderance, hindrance, preventative, preventive, encumbrance, incumbrance, interference, hitch | any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome. |
| ~ obstacle | an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented). |
| ~ structure, construction | a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts.; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons" |
| ~ tumbler | a movable obstruction in a lock that must be adjusted to a given position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown. |
| obstacle | | |
| n. (cognition) | 1. obstacle, obstruction | something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted.; "lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement"; "the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education"; "the filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan" |
| ~ deterrent, hinderance, hindrance, impediment, balk, baulk, handicap, check | something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress. |
| ~ roadblock, barrier | any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective.; "intolerance is a barrier to understanding" |
| ~ rub, hang-up, hitch, snag | an unforeseen obstacle. |
| ~ hurdle | an obstacle that you are expected to overcome.; "the last hurdle before graduation" |
| ~ stymie, stymy | a thwarting and distressing situation. |
| n. (artifact) | 2. obstacle | an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented). |
| ~ hazard | an obstacle on a golf course. |
| ~ impedimenta, obstruction, impediment, obstructer, obstructor | any structure that makes progress difficult. |
| ~ stumbling block | any obstacle or impediment. |
| ~ water jump | a pool or stream in a steeplechase or similar contest. |
| obstruction | | |
| n. (state) | 1. blockage, obstruction | the physical condition of blocking or filling a passage with an obstruction. |
| ~ physical condition, physiological condition, physiological state | the condition or state of the body or bodily functions. |
| ~ ileus, intestinal obstruction | blockage of the intestine (especially the ileum) that prevents the contents of the intestine from passing to the lower bowel. |
| ~ tamponade, tamponage | blockage or closure (as of a wound or body cavity) by (or as if by) a tampon (especially to stop bleeding). |
| n. (act) | 2. obstruction | the act of obstructing.; "obstruction of justice" |
| ~ interference, hinderance, hindrance | the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding. |
| ~ blockage, occlusion, closure | the act of blocking. |
| ~ stalling, stall | a tactic used to mislead or delay. |
| ~ obstruction of justice | impeding those who seek justice in a court (as by trying to influence or intimidate any juror or witness or officer of the court); can result in a finding of contempt of court. |
| n. (act) | 3. obstruction | getting in someone's way. |
| ~ maneuver, manoeuvre, play | a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill.; "he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop" |
| ~ blocking, block | the act of obstructing or deflecting someone's movements. |
| ~ check | obstructing an opponent in ice hockey. |
| rail | | |
| n. (artifact) | 1. rail, railing | a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports. |
| ~ balusters, balustrade, banister, handrail, bannister | a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling. |
| ~ bar | (law) a railing that encloses the part of the courtroom where the judges and lawyers sit and the case is tried.; "spectators were not allowed past the bar" |
| ~ barrier | a structure or object that impedes free movement. |
| ~ fife rail | the railing surrounding the mast of a sailing vessel. |
| ~ ledger board | top rail of a fence or balustrade. |
| ~ guardrail, safety rail | a railing placed alongside a stairway or road for safety. |
| ~ taffrail | the railing around the stern of a ship. |
| n. (artifact) | 2. rail | short for railway.; "he traveled by rail"; "he was concerned with rail safety" |
| ~ railroad, railroad line, railway, railway line, railway system | line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight. |
| n. (artifact) | 3. rail, rails, runway, track | a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll. |
| ~ bar | a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon.; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape" |
| ~ railroad track, railroad, railway | a line of track providing a runway for wheels.; "he walked along the railroad track" |
| ~ third rail | a rail through which electric current is supplied to an electric locomotive. |
| ~ streetcar track, tramline, tramway | the track on which trams or streetcars run. |
| n. (artifact) | 4. rail | a horizontal bar (usually of wood or metal). |
| ~ bar | a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon.; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape" |
| ~ hitching bar, hitchrack | a fixed horizontal rail to which a horse can be hitched to prevent it from straying. |
| ~ ledger board | top rail of a fence or balustrade. |
| ~ picture rail | rail fixed to a wall for hanging pictures. |
| ~ plate rail | rail or narrow shelf fixed to a wall to display plates. |
| ~ fence rail, split rail | a rail that is split from a log. |
| n. (animal) | 5. rail | any of numerous widely distributed small wading birds of the family Rallidae having short wings and very long toes for running on soft mud. |
| ~ wader, wading bird | any of many long-legged birds that wade in water in search of food. |
| ~ family rallidae, rallidae | rails; crakes; gallinules; coots. |
| ~ maori hen, weka, wood hen | flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting. |
| ~ crake | any of several short-billed Old World rails. |
| ~ notornis, notornis mantelli, takahe | flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules. |
| ~ coot | slate-black slow-flying birds somewhat resembling ducks. |
| v. (communication) | 6. inveigh, rail | complain bitterly. |
| ~ complain, kvetch, plain, quetch, sound off, kick | express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness.; "My mother complains all day"; "She has a lot to kick about" |
| v. (stative) | 7. rail, rail in | enclose with rails.; "rail in the old graves" |
| ~ hold in, enclose, confine | close in.; "darkness enclosed him" |
| v. (possession) | 8. rail | provide with rails.; "The yard was railed" |
| ~ architecture | the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their esthetic effect. |
| ~ furnish, provide, supply, render | give something useful or necessary to.; "We provided the room with an electrical heater" |
| v. (motion) | 9. rail, rail off | separate with a railing.; "rail off the crowds from the Presidential palace" |
| ~ divide, separate | make a division or separation. |
| v. (motion) | 10. rail | convey (goods etc.) by rails.; "fresh fruit are railed from Italy to Belgium" |
| ~ transport | move something or somebody around; usually over long distances. |
| v. (motion) | 11. rail, train | travel by rail or train.; "They railed from Rome to Venice"; "She trained to Hamburg" |
| ~ ride | be carried or travel on or in a vehicle.; "I ride to work in a bus"; "He rides the subway downtown every day" |
| v. (contact) | 12. rail | lay with rails.; "hundreds of miles were railed out here" |
| ~ lay, put down, repose | put in a horizontal position.; "lay the books on the table"; "lay the patient carefully onto the bed" |
| v. (competition) | 13. rail | fish with a handline over the rails of a boat.; "They are railing for fresh fish" |
| ~ fish | catch or try to catch fish or shellfish.; "I like to go fishing on weekends" |
| v. (communication) | 14. rail, revile, vilify, vituperate | spread negative information about.; "The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews" |
| ~ blackguard, clapperclaw, abuse, shout | use foul or abusive language towards.; "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket"; "The angry mother shouted at the teacher" |
| v. (communication) | 15. fulminate, rail | criticize severely.; "He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare"; "She railed against the bad social policies" |
| ~ denounce | speak out against.; "He denounced the Nazis" |
| baba | | |
| n. (food) | 1. baba | a small cake leavened with yeast. |
| ~ cake | baked goods made from or based on a mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, and fat. |
| ~ baba au rhum, rum baba | a baba soaked in rum. |
| baba | | |
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