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Definition of obstruction noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

obstruction

noun
 
/əbˈstrʌkʃn/
 
/əbˈstrʌkʃn/
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  1. [uncountable, countable] the fact of trying to prevent something/somebody from making progress
    • the obstruction of justice
    • He was arrested for obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.
    • The asylum seekers had to contend with continued bureaucratic obstruction.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • physical
    • unlawful
    • wilful
    verb + obstruction
    • cause
    • create
    • clear
    phrases
    • obstruction of justice
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable, countable] the fact of blocking a road, an entrance, a passage, etc.
    • obstruction of the factory gates
    • The abandoned car was causing an obstruction.
    Topics Transport by car or lorryc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • physical
    • unlawful
    • wilful
    verb + obstruction
    • cause
    • create
    • clear
    phrases
    • obstruction of justice
    See full entry
  3. [countable] something that blocks a road, an entrance, etc.
    • It is my job to make sure that all pathways are clear of obstructions.
    Extra Examples
    • If the tractor hit an obstruction, there was little to stop the driver from falling off.
    • The train driver receives a warning if there's an obstruction on the line ahead.
    Topics Transport by car or lorryc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • physical
    • unlawful
    • wilful
    verb + obstruction
    • cause
    • create
    • clear
    phrases
    • obstruction of justice
    See full entry
  4. [countable, uncountable] (medical) something that blocks a passage or tube in your body; a medical condition resulting from this synonym blockage
    • He had an operation to remove an obstruction in his throat.
    • bowel/intestinal obstruction
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • physical
    • unlawful
    • wilful
    verb + obstruction
    • cause
    • create
    • clear
    phrases
    • obstruction of justice
    See full entry
  5. [uncountable] (sport) the offence of unfairly putting your body in front of a player of the other team so they cannot move to get the ball
  6. Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin obstructio(n-), from the verb obstruere, from ob- ‘against’ + struere ‘build, pile up’.
See obstruction in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee obstruction in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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