embargo

[ em-bahr-goh ]

noun

, plural em·bar·goes.

1. any restriction imposed upon commerce by edict, especially against a certain country as a penalty or to induce compliance with demands or legal obligations:

   The United Nations fact-finding mission recommended the imposition of an arms embargo and other targeted economic sanctions on the rogue state.

   The software may not be exported into any country with which the United States maintains a trade embargo prohibiting the shipment of goods.

2. an order of a government prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of its ports.
3. an injunction from a government commerce agency to refuse freight for shipment, as in case of congestion or insufficient facilities.
4. a restraint or hindrance; prohibition:

   A one-year embargo on her published dissertation allowed only the title, abstract, and citation information to be released to the public.

   Synonyms: proscription, interdiction, restriction, ban

verb (used with object)

, em·bar·goed, em·bar·go·ing.

1. to impose an embargo on.

embargo

/ ɛmˈbɑːɡəʊ /

noun

1. a government order prohibiting the departure or arrival of merchant ships in its ports
2. any legal stoppage of commerce

   an embargo on arms shipments

3. a restraint, hindrance, or prohibition

verb

1. to lay an embargo upon
2. to seize for use by the state

embargo

1. A governmental restriction on trade for political purposes. The objective is to put pressure on other governments by prohibiting exports to or imports from those countries.

Other Words From

• pre·em·bar·go adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of embargo¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Spanish, derivative of embargar “to hinder, embarrass,” from unattested Vulgar Latin imbarricāre, equivalent to im- im- ¹ + unattested -barricāre ( barr(a) bar ¹ + -icāre causative suffix)

Word History and Origins

Origin of embargo¹

C16: from Spanish, from embargar, from Latin im- + barra bar ¹

Example Sentences

French military technology is being used in Sudan's brutal civil war in violation of a UN arms embargo, rights organisation Amnesty International has said.

From BBC

It also asks health care institutions to support an arms embargo of Israel and divestment from companies implicated in violence.

From Salon

The US trade embargo was first imposed in 1962 in the wake of the revolution in Cuba, which swept Fidel Castro to power.

From BBC

The embargo, he argued, made it impossible to import new parts to overhaul the grid or bring in enough fuel to run the power stations, even to access credit in the international banking system.

From BBC

And Georgian officials have long denied that the country has been complicit in aiding Russia’s evasion of the trade embargoes.

From BBC

Related Words

• ban
• restraint