embargo

American  

[em-bahr-goh] / ɛmˈbɑr goʊ /

noun

plural

embargoes

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

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verb (used with object)

embargoed, embargoing

1. to impose an embargo on.

embargo British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to lay an embargo upon

2. to seize for use by the state

embargo Cultural  

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.

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Other Word Forms

• preembargo adjective

Etymology

Origin of embargo

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)

Example Sentences

The US Treasury has eased a seven-year-old oil embargo on Venezuela, as part of Washington's bid to boost oil production in the country with the world's largest proven reserves of crude.

From Barron's

Cuba, under a US trade embargo since 1962, has for years battled shortages of fuel, medicine and food, even before the Caribbean country of 9.6 million people lost its main oil supplier.

From Barron's

Shipments of basic necessities are possible due to an exemption to the US trade embargo on Cuba that allows for exchanges between family members.

From Barron's

“Like quotas and embargoes, tariffs are a traditional and common tool to regulate importation,” he wrote in a 63-page dissent.

From Los Angeles Times

Cooper said it was important that the fact-finding mission planned to conduct further investigations into reported breaches of the arms embargo and agreed that it should be extended and enforced.

From BBC

Related Words

• ban
• restraint