figurative and in figurative contexts.

transferred and figurative chiefly in expressions relating to rain or tears.

Something that arrests or hinders motion or activity; an impediment, obstacle. ? Obsolete.

A cause of stoppage; an obstacle, hindrance.

A check, stop, stay, hindrance. Obsolete.

A means of preventing something; a safeguard; a hindrance, an obstruction.

The action of embar, v.; an embargo, prohibition, hindrance.

Restraint, restriction. Also: a person who or thing which acts as a check or rebuff to something; a restraint, an impediment. Obsolete.

A check or impediment.

A check that opposes or arrests the course of anything.

figurative. (Now often applied opprobriously to the action of a parliamentary majority in ‘closuring’ a debate.) Also attributive.

A preventive or precautionary agent or measure; a means of prevention; a hindrance, an obstacle.

Any person or thing that checks, or acts as a stop or restraint.

An agent or measure that prevents the occurrence of something; a means of prevention; an obstacle, a hindrance. Cf. preventive, n. 1.

transferred and figurative. A stoppage, prohibition, impediment.

an obstacle, impasse, restriction; also attributive or quasi-adj., restricted, obstructive, secret.

figurative. An object regarded as a deterrent, obstacle, or check. Now rare except in sleeping policeman n. at sleeping, adj. 1f.

A blocking up. An obstruction or stoppage of traffic or progress.