embargo Hear it!

embargo Definition

em·bargo (em bär′gō, im-)

noun pl. -·goes

  1. a government order prohibiting the entry or departure of commercial ships at its ports, esp. as a war measure
  2. any restriction or restraint, esp. one imposed on commerce by law; specif.,
    1. a prohibition of trade in a particular commodity
    2. a prohibition or restriction of freight transportation

Etymology: Sp < embargar < VL *imbarricare < L in-, in, on + ML barra, bar

transitive verb -·goed, -·go·ing

to put an embargo upon

embargo Synonyms

embargo

n.

restriction, prohibition, ban, impediment; see refusal, restraint 2.

embargo Finance Definition
  1. The prohibition by a government or organization that prevents goods from being shipped into or out of a country. One of the most memorable embargoes was the oil embargo imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the early 1970s to protest U.S. policies toward Israel. It had the effect of drastically raising oil prices and led to long lines for motorists at gas pumps.
  2. The act of passing along economic reports or news releases to the press but requiring that the information not be disseminated until some future time or date. Embargos give reporters a chance to prepare their stories without rushing and potentially making a mistake. U.S. economic statistics, such as the unemployment report, are released 30 minutes ahead of the time that they become public information. During that time reporters prepare their stories so they are completely available at the release time.
embargo Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • impose: Castro's Cuba did not impose a trade embargo on the world.
  • lift: We call for lifting the embargo on Iraq " .
  • violate: He claimed that he saw trucks crossing the border and violating the embargo a number of times.
  • tighten: It is because new proposals to lift the sanctions on Iraqi civilians will automatically tighten the embargo on weapons bound for Baghdad.
  • enforce: Why, for example, should we be obliged to respect its resolutions enforcing the embargo on Iraq?

Adjective modifier

  • un: The aim is to lift the UN embargo on purely civilian items.
  • unjust: He " affirmed support for Iraq in facing up to the unjust embargo.
  • strict: Organizers have imposed strict drinks embargo on party goers.
  • economic: In 1961, North Vietnam, too, was put under a virtual economic embargo by the United States.
  • international: They also are concerned about being under an international embargo.

Preposition: on

  • export: For all these reasons I oppose any moves by the European Union to lift the embargo on arms exports to China.
  • sale: The US began to demand the lifting of the embargo on arms sales to the Bosnian Army.

Noun used with modifier

  • arm: China wants the arms sales embargo to be removed.
  • oil: What they didn't predict was an oil embargo.
  • trade: Castro's Cuba did not impose a trade embargo on the world.
  • transfer: The Football League slapped a transfer embargo on the club to compound the misery.
  • air: Mr Kharazi flew to Baghdad despite the United Nations air embargo on flights to Iraq.
  • bag: Oversize, overweight and excess baggage will not be accepted for flights to the destinations covered by the bag embargo.