obstruct (redirected from obstructs)

ob·struct  (b-strkt, b-)

tr.v. ob·struct·ed, ob·struct·ing, ob·structs

1. To block or fill (a passage) with obstacles or an obstacle. See Synonyms at block.

2. To impede, retard, or interfere with; hinder: obstructed my progress. See Synonyms at hinder¹.

3. To get in the way of so as to hide from sight.

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[Latin obstruere, obstrct- : ob-, against; see ob- + struere, to pile up; see ster-² in Indo-European roots.]

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ob·structer, ob·structor n.

ob·structive adj.

ob·structive·ly adv.

ob·structive·ness n.

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obstruct

Verb

1. to block a way with an obstacle

2. to make progress or activity difficult: this government will never obstruct the course of justice

3. to block a clear view of [Latin obstructus built against]

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	obstruct - hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of; "His brother blocked him at every turn" blockade, stymie, stymy, embarrass, hinder, block 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"
	2.	obstruct - block passage through; "obstruct the path" obturate, occlude, close up, impede, jam, block 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, blockade, block off, bar, 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" disengage, free - free or remove obstruction from; "free a path across the cluttered floor"
	3.	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" block barricade, block, block up, blockade, block off, bar, 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"

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obstruct

verb 1. block, close, bar, cut off, plug, choke, clog, barricade, shut off, stop up, bung up (informal)

verb 2. hold up, stop, check, bar, block, prevent, arrest, restrict, interrupt, slow down, hamstring, interfere with, hamper, inhibit, clog, hinder, retard, impede, get in the way of, bring to a standstill, cumber

verb 3. impede, prevent, frustrate, hold up, slow down, hamstring, interfere with, hamper, hold back, thwart, hinder, retard, get in the way of, trammel, cumber << OPPOSITE help

verb 4. obscure, screen, cut off, cover, hide, mask, shield

Translations

obstruct [əbˈstrʌkt] vt (= block) → obstruir (= hinder); estorbar, obstaculizar

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obstruct [əbˈstrʌkt] vt (= block) → boucher, obstruer (= halt); arrêter (= hinder); entraver

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obstruct [əbˈstrʌkt] vt [+ road, path] → blockieren [+ traffic], (fig); behindern

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obstruct [əbˈstrʌkt] vt (= block) → ostruire, ostacolare (= halt); fermare (= hinder); impedire