blockade
blok-ADE
/blɒˈkeɪd/
An act or means of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.
Often naval or economic; designed to starve an enemy's trade and supplies rather than storming walls directly.
The story behind the word. Formed in the 17th century by combining 'block' (from Middle Dutch 'bloc', a solid piece of wood used as an obstruction) with the suffix '-ade' (modeled on words like 'cavalcade'). It originally described placing logs across waterways to stop ships.
Word relationships
- embargo: An embargo is a legal ban on commerce, whereas a blockade uses physical or naval force to halt movement.
- sieging: Sieging focuses on surrounding a land structure, whereas blockade emphasizes cutting maritime or economic access.
- access: Unrestricted entry and movement of goods.
- free trade: Uninhibited movement of commercial cargo.
Commonly confused with
- siege: A blockade cuts off transport/trade routes (often naval), while a siege directly surrounds a ground fortress or city.
Word family
- blockader (noun): A vessel or person engaged in enforcing a blockade.
Collocations
- naval blockade
- impose a blockade
- run a blockade
- break the blockade
Idioms & expressions
- blockade runner
Example sentences
- "The naval blockade prevented essential grain shipments from reaching the island nation's ports." Maritime warfare history
- "The council voted to impose an economic blockade until foreign troops withdrew from the disputed zone." International diplomacy
Memory hook
BLOCKADE = BLOCK the glADE or passage so nothing gets through. Block all trade and movement.
When not to use
Do not use for a mere traffic jam or single road closed for repairs; it implies intentional tactical isolation.
Fun facts
- The Union blockade of Confederate ports during the American Civil War was known as the 'Anaconda Plan' because it squeezed the South economically.
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