At the close of the Civil War, more than a million soldiers were discharged to seek new homes in an uncongested area.
early 15c., "to bring together" (transitive), from Latin congestus, past participle of congerere "to bring together, pile up," from com- "together" (see com-) + gerere "to carry, perform" (see gest). Medical sense of "unnatural accumulation" (1758) led to transferred (intransitive) sense of "overcrowd" (1859). Related: Congested; congesting.
congest con·gest (kən-jěst')
v. con·gest·ed, con·gest·ing, con·gests
To cause the accumulation of excessive blood or tissue fluid in a vessel or an organ.
