obstruction
/əbˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1The action of obstructing or the state of being obstructed: walkers could proceed with the minimum of obstruction...
- What is unhealthy is the growing habit of obstruction, delay and occasional flat refusal to co-operate.
- For the administration and its conservative allies, the United Nations represents embarrassment and obstruction.
- Remember, snoring means obstructed breathing, and obstruction can be serious.
1.1 [count noun] A thing that impedes or prevents passage or progress; an obstacle or blockage: the tractor hit an obstruction...
- The nylon line that anglers use frequently breaks when hooks become snagged on underwater obstructions or bankside vegetation.
- Check for depth and obstructions before diving, then go in feet first for the initial try.
- Because there had been no trains on the line for two days because of Christmas he was checking for fallen trees or other obstructions.
Synonyms
obstacle, barrier, stumbling block, hurdle, bar, block, impediment, hindrance, snag, difficulty, catch, drawback, hitch, handicap, deterrent, curb, check, stop, baulk, restriction;
blockage, stoppage, congestion, bottleneck, hold-up;
Medicine occlusion
informal fly in the ointment
British informal spanner in the works
North American informal monkey wrench in the works
dated cumber
1.2(In various sports) the action of unlawfully obstructing a player in the opposing team.Melvin, too, was informed that the only player guilty of obstruction was Lopez....
- After four minutes Barnhall were awarded a penalty when a Naas player was penalised for obstruction.
- It's true that less obstruction helps all players and speeds up the game.
1.3 Medicine Blockage of a bodily passage, especially the gut: they presented with severe intestinal obstruction...
- A thorough examination of the head and neck should be performed to look for obstruction, inflammation and infection.
- An infectious cause should be suspected in children with signs and symptoms of airway obstruction accompanied by a prodromal illness or fever.
- Intestinal strictures and bowel obstruction may develop in patients with refractory sprue or celiac disease that has been untreated over a long period.
1.4 Law The action of impeding the movement of traffic on a highway: they were held for obstruction and other public order offences...
- Meetings and marches are subject to the laws prohibiting obstruction of the highway, public nuisance, and trespass, and to local authority by-laws.
- The dictionary meaning of gridlock is obstruction of traffic caused by queues of vehicles forming across a junction and causing further queues to form in the intersecting streets.
- The council decided this caused obstruction to traffic and painted yellow lines down both sides.
1.5 Law The action of deliberately hindering the police in their duties: he was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty...
- The refusal of a citizen to identify himself under such circumstances causes a major inconvenience and obstruction to the police in carrying out their proper duties.
- After being charged with the thefts and obstruction, police released him on bail to appear before magistrates the following week but he failed to turn up.
- The adults, who had been staying in the motel room, were charged with cruelty to children, public indecency and obstruction of police and were taken to a psychiatric ward.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Latin obstructio(n-), from the verb obstruere (see obstruct).
Rhymes
- nettleweed
- nettly
- net tracery
- nettus
- netty
- Neturei Karta
- net'us
- net user
- net vault
- net-veined
- net weight
- netwise
- network
- networkable
- network analyser
- network analysis
- network appliance
- network computer
- network effect
- network English
- networker
- network former
- network-forming
- network marketing
- network modifier