embargo
Other forms: embargoes; embargoed; embargoing; embargos
An embargo is an order stopping the movement of trade ships into or out of a country. If you can’t get those yummy Swedish fish, perhaps there has been an embargo on trade with Sweden!
The fact that ships cannot move during an embargo makes sense from the Latin root of the word, a verb meaning impede with barriers. If one government places a trade embargo on another, it can be an act of war between the two countries. But if an arms embargo is in place, many countries refuse to sell arms to a particular country because it is especially violent. As a verb, the use of embargo is a little broader. If you write an impassioned plea for peace, but the government embargoes it, no one will read your writing.
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a government order imposing a trade barriersynonyms: trade embargo, trade stoppage
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prevent commerce
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ban the publication of (documents), as for security or copyright reasons
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Vocabulary lists containing embargo
Study this list to review the land features, natural resources, and political structures of countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Learn about flora such as lemongrass and mangrove, fauna such as the pangolin and the tapir, and weather events like cyclones and typhoons.
If you want to know more about Central America and the Caribbean, review this list of essential vocabulary. You'll learn about the tropical climate, crops like sugarcane and plantains, and ecotourism. This list also covers important aspects of Central American and Caribbean history, including colonialism and slavery.
Study this list to review the land features, natural resources, and political structures of countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Learn about flora such as lemongrass and mangrove, fauna such as the pangolin and the tapir, and weather events like cyclones and typhoons.