Impede - English meaning

noun

A long rigid piece of wood, metal, or similar material, typically used as an obstruction, fastening, or weapon.

Usage examples:

An iron bar

verb

Fasten (something, especially a door or window) with a bar or bars.

Usage examples:

She bolted and barred the door

preposition

Except for.

Usage examples:

His kids were all gone now, bar one

noun

A large solid piece of hard material, especially rock, stone, or wood, typically with flat surfaces on each side.

Usage examples:

A block of marble

verb

Make the movement or flow in (a passage, pipe, road, etc.) difficult or impossible.

Usage examples:

The narrow roads were blocked by cars

verb

Obstruct

noun

A device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, typically by applying pressure to the wheels.

Usage examples:

He slammed on his brakes

verb

Another term for brake van.

noun

An open horse-drawn carriage with four wheels.

Usage examples:

The cost of travelling by alternative means such as coach or brake was prohibitive over a season, s…

verb

Examine (something) in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.

Usage examples:

Customs officers have the right to check all luggage

noun

An examination to test or ascertain accuracy, quality, or satisfactory condition.

Usage examples:

A campaign calling for regular checks on gas appliances

exclamation

Us spelling of cheque.

noun

Painful involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles, typically caused by fatigue or strain.

Usage examples:

An attack of cramp

verb

Inhibit the development of.

Usage examples:

Tighter rules will cramp economic growth

noun

A sudden painful tightening in a muscle, often after a lot of exercise, that limits movement

Usage examples:

Several runners needed treatment for cramp (us cramps) and exhaustion., have cramp i've got cramp i…

verb

Cause severe and disabling damage to; deprive of the ability to function normally.

Usage examples:

Developing countries are crippled by their debts

noun

A person with a severe limitation of a specified kind.

Usage examples:

An emotional cripple

verb

Deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg

noun

A check or restraint on something.

Usage examples:

Plans to introduce tougher curbs on insider dealing

verb

Variant spelling of kerb.

noun

A stone edging to a pavement or raised path.

verb

Make (someone or something) late or slow.

Usage examples:

The train was delayed

noun

A period of time by which something is late or postponed.

Usage examples:

A two-hour delay

verb

To make something happen at a later time than originally planned or expected

Usage examples:

My plane was delayed by an hour., heavy snow delayed the start of the game., [ + -ing verb ] i thin…

verb

Interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem.

Usage examples:

Flooding disrupted rail services

verb

To prevent something, esp. a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected

Usage examples:

A heavy fall of snow disrupted traffic during the rush hour., [ c ] strikes threaten more disruptio…

verb

To prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected

Usage examples:

Meetings with her lawyers did not disrupt the schedule., commerce could be disrupted in a cyberterr…

noun

A chain or manacle used to restrain a prisoner, typically placed around the ankles.

Usage examples:

He lay bound with fetters of iron

verb

Restrain with chains or manacles, typically around the ankles.

Usage examples:

There were no chains immediately available to fetter the prisoners

verb

To keep someone within limits or stop them from making progress

Usage examples:

Fettered by he felt fettered by a nine-to-five office existence.

noun

A basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic.

Usage examples:

A picnic hamper

verb

Hinder or impede the movement or progress of.

Usage examples:

Their work is hampered by lack of funds

noun

Necessary but cumbersome equipment on a ship.

Usage examples:

The mass of the top hamper must be consciously balanced against the tremendous beam.

noun

Any of five tendons at the back of a person's knee.

Usage examples:

He pulled a hamstring

verb

Cripple (a person or animal) by cutting their hamstrings.

Usage examples:

He hammered the remnants of his blade into the chest of the one who shattered it, and jumped to avo…

verb

To prevent an activity, or to block the effectiveness of someone or something

Usage examples:

The company is hamstrung by its traditional but inefficient ways of doing business., i played the w…

noun

A circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.

Usage examples:

Not being able to drive was something of a handicap

verb

Act as an impediment to.

Usage examples:

Lack of funding has handicapped the development of research

noun

A physical or mental condition that makes ordinary activities more difficult than they are for other people

Usage examples:

His loss of hearing was a severe handicap., their lack of knowledge of computer programming was not…

verb

Make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

Usage examples:

Language barriers hindered communication between scientists

adjective

(especially of a bodily part) rear; hind.

Usage examples:

The hinder end of its body

verb

To limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Usage examples:

A poor diet can hinder mental and physical growth., i don’t know if these changes are going to help…

idiom

Refrain from doing

phrasal verb

Hesitate to act or speak.

Usage examples:

He held back, remembering the mistake he had made before

phrasal verb

Prevent or restrict the progress or development of someone or something.

Usage examples:

My lack of experience held me back a bit

collocation

Be the physical support of; carry the weight of

phrasal verb

Support and prevent something from falling.

Usage examples:

Concrete pillars hold up the elevated section of the railway

phrasal verb

Display something by holding it above one's waist or head.

Usage examples:

He held up the book so she could see the cover

verb

Block (an opening, path, road, etc.); be or get in the way of.

Usage examples:

She was obstructing the entrance

idiom

To slow or stop the progress of something or someone

Usage examples:

Raising taxes now would put the brakes on economic recovery.

verb

Prevent (someone or something) from doing something; keep under control or within limits.

Usage examples:

The need to restrain public expenditure

verb

Delay or hold back in terms of progress or development.

Usage examples:

Our progress was retarded by unforeseen difficulties

noun

A person who has a mental disability (often used as a general term of abuse).

verb

To make something slower

Usage examples:

Reductions in pollution levels could retard global warming.

noun

A pair of fetters connected together by a chain, used to fasten a prisoner's wrists or ankles together.

Usage examples:

He tugged on the chain connecting my shackles together

verb

Chain with shackles.

Usage examples:

The prisoner was shackled to the heavy steel chair in the centre of the room

noun

One of a pair of metal rings connected by a chain and fastened to a person’s wrists or the bottoms of the legs to prevent the person from escaping

Usage examples:

The prisoner was led away in shackles., the convicts were shackled and led onto the bus., fig. she …

adjective

Moving or operating, or designed to do so, only at a low speed; not quick or fast.

Usage examples:

Until recently diesel cars were slow and noisy

adverb

At a slow pace; slowly.

Usage examples:

The train went slower and slower

verb

Reduce one's speed or the speed of a vehicle or process.

Usage examples:

The train slowed to a halt