Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun, plural em·bar·goes.
- an order of a government prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of its ports.
- an injunction from a government commerce agency to refuse freight for shipment, as in case of congestion or insufficient facilities.
- any restriction imposed upon commerce by edict.
- a restraint or hindrance; prohibition.
verb (used with object), em·bar·goed, em·bar·go·ing.
- to impose an embargo on.
noun plural -goes
- a government order prohibiting the departure or arrival of merchant ships in its ports
- any legal stoppage of commercean embargo on arms shipments
- a restraint, hindrance, or prohibition
verb -goes, -going or -goed (tr)
- to lay an embargo upon
- to seize for use by the state
1590s, from Spanish embargo “seizure, embargo,” noun of action from embargar “restrain impede,” from Vulgar Latin *imbarricare, from in- “into, upon” (see in- (2)) + *barra (see bar (n.1)). As a verb, from 1640s. Related: Embargoed.
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.